Abstract:
Mineral deficiencies, especially iron and zinc, are still prevalent in urban as well as rural communities among
women and children across Africa, including the Sahel. Here, effects of extrusion cooking in combination with
food-to-food fortification (FtFF) with plant foods rich in minerals (moringa leaf powder) and their bioavailability
enhancers, organic acids (baobab fruit) and β-carotene (carrots, mango, papaya) and additionally micronutrient
premix fortification on iron, zinc and other mineral bioaccessibilities in wholegrain pearl millet-based porridges
in comparison to their conventionally wet-cooked equivalents were investigated. Percentage bioaccessible iron in
extrusion-cooked porridges FtFF with moringa+baobab+carrots+mango, baobab+carrots+papaya and together
with micronutrient premix was generally similar to their conventionally cooked FtFF-porridge equivalents.
However, the amount of bioaccessible iron in the extrusion-cooked FtFF-porridges was some three times higher.
Iron contamination through solubilization from the extruder parts was responsible. Percentage and amount of
bioaccessible zinc of the extrusion-cooked FtFF-porridges was substantially increased. This is likely due to
phytate degradation during extrusion cooking, thereby reducing the phytate's mineral-chelating effects. Concerning
calcium and magnesium, there was no positive effect of extrusion cooking on their bioaccessibility when
compared to conventional cooking. However, FtFF substantially increased the amount of bioaccessible calcium
and magnesium in the conventionally- and extrusion-cooked FtFF-porridges because of their high contents in
moringa and baobab. Consumption of extrusion-cooked ready-to-eat FtFF-porridges, especially when additionally
conventionally fortified, is promising to significantly improve bioaccessible iron and zinc in the diet of at-risk
African populations, particularly in urban communities.
Description:
FUNDING : This work was funded in part by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Bureau for Food Security under
Agreement #AID-OAA-L-14-00003 as part of Feed the Future Innovation
Lab for Food Processing and Post-harvest Handling. Grants for OY
Famuyide from the SA National Research Foundation (NRF) (Grant
119549) and The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) (Grant UID-
105494), and postdoctoral funding from the University of Pretoria are
acknowledged.