Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 8, 2026

The Caco-2 Cell Bioassay for Measurement of Food Iron Bioavailability
Published on: April 28, 2022
In vitro availability of some essential minerals in commonly eaten processed and unprocessed Caribbean tuber crops
Lowell L Dilworth1, Felix O Omoruyi, Helen N Asemota
1Biochemistry Section, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston, 7, Jamaica.
Abstract:
The levels of three essential minerals Ca, Fe and Mg and the extent of their availability were assessed in four commonly eaten Caribbean tuber crops [dasheen (Xanthosoma spp.), Irish potato (Solanum tuberosum), sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) and yellow yam (Dioscorea cayenensis)] in their processed and unprocessed states. Calcium was highest in cooked dasheen (5150+/-50 mg/kg) while Magnesium was highest in uncooked Irish potato (3600+/-200 mg/kg). There was no significant loss of calcium from the food samples upon cooking. All the uncooked food samples displayed higher levels minerals assessed compared to the cooked samples except for cooked Irish potato that recorded the level of iron (182.25+/-8.75 mg/kg). Availability of these minerals in the cooked and uncooked tubers crops upon digestion also showed a similar pattern. In conclusion, the consumption of these tuber crops in the Caribbean may not be responsible for the reported cases of iron deficiency in the region. However, the availability of minerals from these tuber crops when consumed with other foods (the usual practice in the Caribbean) needs further investigation.
More Related Videos
04:54Assessing Mineral Availability in Fish Feeds using Complementary Methods Demonstrated with the Example of Zinc in Atlantic Salmon
Published on: October 29, 2021
10:35In vivo and In vitro Infection of Potato Roots with Plant Parasitic Nematodes for the Assessment of Induced Structural Changes
Published on: February 28, 2025
Related Concept Videos
Key Elements for Plant Nutrition
Water and Mineral Acquisition
Methods for Studying Drug Absorption: In vitro
The diffusion cell method uses a two-compartment cell, including a donor compartment with the drug solution, which simulates the environment where the drug is applied, and a receptor compartment with a buffer solution, which simulates the environment...
Minerals
Overview of Metabolism
Plant Metabolism
Sunlight, the primary source of energy in plants, is first absorbed by the chlorophyll pigments present in their leaves. Plants then use this energy to carry out photosynthesis, where water is oxidized into oxygen and carbon dioxide...