Mineral Migration and Influence of Meal Preparation in Iron Cookware on the Iron Nutritional Status of Vegetarian Students

Ecology of Food and Nutrition, 46: 125–141, 2007
Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
Food and Nutrition, Vol. 46, No. 2, March 2007: pp. 1–26

IKro. nD C. Qooukinwtaeres eatn dal .Nutritional Status of Vegetarians KÉSIA DIEGO QUINTAES
JAIME AMAYA-FARFAN FERNANDA MARIANA TOMAZINI
State University of Campinas, School of Food Engineering, Food & Nutrition Department, and Center for Food Security Studies, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
MARCELO ANTONIO MORGANO
Institute of Food Technology, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
NIURKA MARITZA DE ALMEYDA HAJISA
Faculty of Sciences and Letters of Bragança Paulista, Bragança Paulista, São Paulo, Brazil
JOSÉ TREZZA NETO College Oswaldo Cruz/College of Biochemistry and Pharmacology Science, São Paulo, Brazil
 

This study evaluates iron and manganese migration from iron pans and the impact of routine meal preparation on the iron status of vegetarians. Rice and tomato sauce were cooked in iron pans. Fe and Mn quantification were done by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Vegetarians Address correspondence to Prof. Jaime Amaya-Farfan, PhD. R. Monteiro Lobato, 80, PO Box: 6121, 13083-862, Campinas, SP, Brazil. E-mail: jaf@fea.unicamp.br Downloaded By: [CDL Journals Account] At: 00:54 18 January 2008 126 K. D. QUINTAES ET AL. had their meals prepared in cast-iron cookware for 12 weeks. Tomato sauce took up more Fe and Mn than rice. Mineral transfer increased with cooking cycles. Iron anemia decreased from 32.1 to 5.3%, while the prevalence of hematologically normal individuals increased from 41 to 67.8%. Migrated Fe from cookware improves the nutritional iron status of vegetarians.