Effects of reducing phytate content in sorghum through genetic modification and fermentation on in vitro iron availability in whole grain porridges

• Published in: Food chemistry Vol. 131; no. 1; pp. 220 - 224
• Main Authors: Kruger, Johanita, Taylor, John R.N., Oelofse, André
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-03-2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Cereal and baking product industries; Dialysability; Fermentation; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genetically modified; Iron; Phytate; Sorghum; Traditional African porridges; Genetically modified; Sorghum; Iron; Traditional African porridges; Phytate; Dialysability; Modification; Monocotyledones; Porridge; Fermentation; In vitro; Gramineae; Angiospermae; Cereal; Spermatophyta; Sorghum (food); Genetically modified organism
• ISSN: 0308-8146; 1873-7072
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2011.08.063

► We compare sorghum phytate reduction by genetic modification and fermentation on in vitro iron availability. ► The inhibitory effect of the tannins prevents any increase in in vitro iron availability. ► Additive effect of genetic modification and fermentation in reducing phytate content increases in vitro iron availability.
Improved iron availability from sorghum porridges will benefit many malnourished communities in rural Africa, where there is a high prevalence of iron deficiency. This research compared the efficacy of reducing sorghum phytate content by genetic modification (GM) and natural lactic acid fermentation on in vitro iron availability in porridges. GM low phytate, non-tannin (38% phytate reduction) and tannin (36% phytate reduction) sorghums and their null controls were processed into thick unfermented and fermented porridges. The inhibitory effect of the tannins seemed to prevent any increase in in vitro iron availability, regardless of the level of phytate reduction. Only the additive effect of GM in combination with fermentation in reducing the phytate content appeared to cause a substantial increase in in vitro iron availability in the GM fermented porridge (30%) made from the non-tannin line, compared to the GM unfermented porridge (8.9%) or the fermented porridge (17.6%) of the control sorghum. This could be of nutritional significance.