FRUIT-BASED CONCENTRATED PRODUCTS, IRON FORTIFIED, INTENDED FOR PREVENTION AND DIET THERAPY OF IRON DEFICIENCIES OF VULNERABLE POPULATION GROUPS

Abstract

Enrichment of food products by micro-nutrients is an essential element of strategies against nutritional deficiencies, such as iron deficiency, especially, in populations within developing countries. The addition of a micro-nutrient has to be done on the basis of scientific researches, so that its concentration in product is optimal for correction of nutritional deficiency, but, at the same time keeping the sensorial properties of product (appearance, colour, taste and smell). This paper presents some results of researches made to obtain two fruit-based concentrated products (apricots, plums) fortified with iron. As fortification agents, ferrous sulphate, ferrous lactate and ferrous gluconate were used, and the fortification levels were of 4 mg/100 g in the end product and 6.5 mg/100 g, respectively. The increase of iron bio-availability in the human body and, at the same time, assurance of an optimal acidity of fruit-based concentrated products should be done by addition of ascorbic acid into their composition. The fruit-based concentrated products fortified with iron were analysed from sensorial, biochemical and microbiological point of views. The used fortification agents have not modified the product sensorial characteristics (appearance, colour, taste and smell), in comparison with the control sample (jams non-fortified with iron). The iron content of the fortified products with iron, achieved within the National Institute of Research&Development for Food Bioresources – IBA Bucharest, was determined through atomic absorption spectrometry (λ = 248.3 nm) from samples mineralised on dry way. The iron content of fruit-based concentrated products fortified with iron varied in the range 4.27 – 7.05 mg Fe/100g.