Iron food supplement

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Updated: Sep 28, 2026

The Caco-2 Cell Bioassay for Measurement of Food Iron Bioavailability
06:34

The Caco-2 Cell Bioassay for Measurement of Food Iron Bioavailability

Published on: April 28, 2022

Mousmee Sood1, D Sharada

  • 1Department of Foods and Nutrition, Post Graduate and Research Centre, College of Home Science, Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, India. mousmeesood@yahoo.com

Indian Journal of Pediatrics
|December 31, 2002
PubMed

Insights

A locally developed, iron-rich laddoo supplement significantly improved hemoglobin levels in undernourished school children. The supplement showed efficacy in combating iron deficiency anemia within 30 days.

Area of Science:

  • Nutritional Science
  • Public Health
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Iron deficiency anemia is a prevalent health issue among children in low-income families.
  • Undernutrition is widespread in school-aged children, impacting overall health and development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To create an iron-rich food supplement using accessible local ingredients.
  • To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of this supplement in school children aged 7-9 years.

Main Methods:

  • Selected 36 children with low hemoglobin (Hb) levels (below 11 g/dl) from a low-income school.
  • Developed a laddoo supplement using jaggery, rice flakes, garden cress, and amaranth seeds.
  • Administered one laddoo daily for 60 days to an experimental group and assessed Hb, height, and weight.

Main Results:

  • 97% of children were undernourished, with most in Grade II malnutrition.
  • Significant increase in hemoglobin levels observed within the first 30 days of supplementation.
  • No significant improvement in height and weight was noted.

Conclusions:

  • The developed iron-rich laddoo supplement effectively increased hemoglobin levels.
  • The supplement shows promise in combating iron deficiency anemia in vulnerable child populations.
  • Further research may explore optimizing the supplement for broader nutritional benefits.
Abstract

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