Zinc absorption from biofortified maize meets the requirements of young rural Zambian children.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The zinc content of maize, a major global food staple, is generally insufficient alone to meet the requirements of young children.

Objectives

The primary objective of this study was to determine whether substitution of biofortified maize (34 μg zinc/g grain) for control maize (21 μg zinc/g) was adequate to meet zinc physiologic requirements in young children for whom maize was the major food staple. A secondary objective was to compare total daily zinc absorption when maize flour was fortified with zinc oxide to a total concentration of 60 μg zinc/g.

Methods

Participants included 60 rural Zambian children with a mean age of 29 mo who were randomly assigned to receive 1 of 3 maize types (control, biofortified, or fortified) all of which were readily consumed

SUBMITTER: Chomba E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4770937 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature