Bioaccessibility of essential elements from white cheese, bread, fruit and vegetables

Area of Science:

• Nutritional Science
• Food Chemistry
• Public Health

Background:

• Micronutrient deficiencies pose a significant public health challenge.
• The Lebanese food basket comprises staple foods like bread, cheese, fruits, and vegetables.
• Understanding the bioaccessibility of essential minerals is crucial for dietary recommendations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the in vitro bioaccessibility of iron, zinc, copper, manganese, and molybdenum.
• To assess these micronutrients from commonly consumed foods within the Lebanese diet.

Main Methods:

• Utilized an in vitro gastrointestinal digestion model.
• Analyzed five essential micronutrients: iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), and molybdenum (Mo).
• Included diverse food items: bread, white cheese varieties, fruits, and vegetables.

Main Results:

• Low bioaccessibility (<10%) for iron and zinc observed in bread, squash, and cucumber.
• Apples showed poor iron bioaccessibility but high zinc bioaccessibility (56%).
• High iron bioaccessibility (>50%) from cheese, with double crème cheese being a good zinc source.
• Copper and molybdenum exhibited high bioaccessibility (>50%) across most foods.
• Manganese showed high bioaccessibility (>50%) in fruits and vegetables, but moderate (25-30%) in bread and cheese.

Conclusions:

• Micronutrient bioaccessibility varies significantly across different food types in the Lebanese diet.
• Dietary strategies should consider food sources with higher mineral bioavailability.
• Further research into enhancing mineral absorption from staple foods is warranted.