Effect of addition of bovine milk and vegetable milks on the in vitro availability of iron from cereal meals

Studies were carried out on the in vitro availability of iron from a standard cereal meal with and without the addition of bovine milk (BM), groundnut milk (GM) and soybean milk (SM). Further, availability of iron from these milks per se was also investigated. Estimation of the total iron content from BM, GM, and SM revealed that it was highest in case of SM followed by GM and BM. This trend was reversed for percent available iron which was highest for BM followed by GM and SM. The in vitro availability of iron from the cereal meal was low (3.7%). Addition of BM and GM enhanced the availability of iron from the standard meal whereas SM had no particular enhancing quality. The practical implications of the findings for iron nutrition in humans are discussed.