Ascorbyl palmitate enhances iron bioavailability in iron-fortified bread

One of the strategies to control iron deficiency anemia is the fortification of food with iron. A mechanism for improving the bioavailability of iron is to add an iron absorption promoter.

The objective was to determine the effect of ascorbyl palmitate (AP) on the bioavailability of iron in fortified bread made from refined wheat flour.

The iron bioavailability of wheat flour fortified with either ferrous sulfate alone or ferrous sulfate plus AP was studied with the use of double radio iron (55Fe and 59Fe) erythrocyte incorporation in 14 women.

Geometric mean (+/- range of 1 SD) iron absorption from the bread fortified with ferrous sulfate was 10.5% (4.1-27.0%). The addition of AP at molar ratios of AP to Fe of 2:1 and 4:1 significantly increased iron absorption [14.6% (5.9-36.1%) and 20.2% (10.6-38.6%), respectively; P < 0.001].

AP is a strong promoter of iron absorption from fortified bread because of its thermoresistant properties.