Absorption of zinc and iron by rats fed meals containing sorghum food products

Zinc and iron absorption from freeze-dried traditionally-prepared sorghum food products was studied in rats. After a period of marginal zinc or iron depletion, rats were fed test meals containing 1 of 4 sorghum foods cooked maize gruel or an inorganic mineral each of which was extrinsically labeled with either 65Zn or 59Fe before being added to the diets. Absorption was determined by whole body percent retention of the initial radioisotope dose over a period of 19 days. Iron was highly available from all products tested (75-83%) with no significant differences in absorption among groups (p>0.05). Zinc from fermented Aceta (97%) was more available than that from the other sorghum products (69-78%) or maize gruel (76%). Zinc from acid To (78%) and Aceta (97%) was as available as that from zinc oxide in the control diet (93%) (p>0.05). There were no significant differences in zinc absorption among groups fed Acid To (78%), neutral To (76), alkali To (69%) or maize gruel (76%) (p<0.05). Phytate in the fermented Aceta was 33% lower than in the other sorghum foods. Iron and zinc were highly available from all sorghum foods. Reduction phytate by fermentation increased Zn availability