What is it about?
This study was designed to show the range of Fe concentration and bioavailability in current field lentils grown with a variety of soil type, location, and weather. Samples were cooked, cooled, and freeze-dried prior to the in vitro/Caco-2 cell model assay. Iron concentration of the commercial whole lentil samples was relatively high among the 24 varieties tested, ranging from 53.4 to 96.7 µg Fe/g, indicating that some of the lines could be considered “biofortified” with Fe, with an arbitrary minimum of 90 µg Fe/g. Relative Fe bioavailability of the whole lentils ranged from 8% in whole lentils to 28% of a dehulled CDC Robin control sample. Dehulling is known to decrease the Fe concentration of the sample while increasing its bioavailability, and this study confirmed the effect. Both genotype and location of origin of the samples influenced the Fe concentration.
Featured Image
Why is it important?
Iron deficiency is the leading nutritional deficiency in the world, affecting a third of the world’s population and prevalent mostly in women and children. A major cause of Fe deficiency is low Fe concentration and bioavailability in diets high in staple food crops (e.g. maize, rice, and wheat). Pulse crops such as lentils are significantly higher in Fe concentration and therefore have potential to provide better Fe nutrition. Enhancing the levels of Fe concentration and bioavailability through plant breeding and agricultural practices is known as Fe biofortification and is considered to be an effective and sustainable approach. Previous research indicated that approximately 10-15% of lentils produced in southern Saskatchewan were already “biofortified” with Fe (>90 µg Fe/g seed). The study confirms that iron concentrations in Saskatchewan lentils can be high enough to be considered biofortified, particularly the dehulled lentils. Evidence suggests that tannins or other components of seed coat reduce the bioavailability of iron.
Perspectives
Identification and development of cultivars and conditions which lead to increased nutritional quality of iron in lentils could lead to an identity-preserved marketing of lentils which meet the conditions, providing a highly acceptable means of reducing iron deficiency in areas where it is prevalent.
Dr Diane M. DellaValle
King's College
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Seed Coat Removal Improves Iron Bioavailability in Cooked Lentils: Studies Using an in Vitro Digestion/Caco-2 Cell Culture Model, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, August 2013, American Chemical Society (ACS),
DOI: 10.1021/jf4022916.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
