Enhancing the in vitro Fe(2+) bio-accessibility using ascorbate and cold-set whey protein gel particles

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Nutritional Biochemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Iron deficiency is a global health concern.
• Current food fortification methods have limitations in iron bioavailability.
• Protein-based delivery systems offer potential for improved nutrient encapsulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate iron fortification of food using novel protein gel particles.
• To optimize iron and ascorbate ratios for cold-set gelation.
• To assess the in vitro bio-accessibility and stability of iron-protein particles.

Main Methods:

• Cold-set gelation of whey protein with entrapped iron and ascorbate.
• Rheological analysis of protein gel formation and strength.
• In vitro assessment using the TNO Intestinal Model (TIM) to evaluate iron bio-accessibility.
• Stability testing of iron-protein particles across a range of pH and calcium concentrations.

Main Results:

• Ascorbate influenced protein gelation, increasing gel strength at an optimal iron/ascorbate ratio.
• Iron-protein gel particles demonstrated stability across a broad pH range.
• In vitro iron bio-accessibility increased from 10% to nearly 80% with ascorbate in the protein particles.
• High encapsulation efficiency and stability of iron within the protein matrix were observed.

Conclusions:

• The developed protein gel particles effectively encapsulate iron in the presence of ascorbate.
• This method significantly enhances iron bio-accessibility, showing potential for effective food fortification.
• Whey protein-based particles offer a stable and efficient system for delivering iron for human consumption.