Solubility of Iron in Model Systems Containing Organic Acids and Lignin

The effect of six organic acids, ascorbic, citric, fumaric, lactic, malic, and succinic, alone and in combination, at a 1:1.9 molar ratio (Fe+2:ligand) on the solubility of iron was evaluated in the presence of lignin under simulated gastrointestinal pH conditions. The enhancing effect, evaluated under two systems of preparation at two pH values, was in the following order: citric>malic>ascorbic>lactic,fumaric>succinic. Citric acid solubilized 80 and 81% of iron under both pH conditions. When ascorbic acid was mixed with fumaric, lactic, and succinic acids, a higher percentage of soluble iron was retained than with these three acids alone. In the case of citric and malic acids, the addition of ascorbic acid reduced the soluble iron. The percentage of soluble iron obtained when prepared at the endogenous pH (2.5-3.1) was higher than that at pH 5.5. These results indicated that ascorbate bound less iron in a soluble form than citrate or malate but more than fumarate, lactate, or succinate. Also, combinations of citric with malic acid did not demonstrate a synergistic effect.