The bioaccessibility of Cu, as well as Mn to a lesser extent, from vegetarian diets can be significantly improved by incorporating garlic and onion in the diet. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Copper, manganese, and chromium content and their bioaccessibility were determined in commonly consumed cereals and pulses. Copper, manganese, and chromium concentration of these grains ranged from 0.19 to 1.22, 0.46 to 8.12, and 0.02 to 0.11 mg/100 g, respectively. Bioaccessibility of these minerals from the grains ranged from 6.6 to 32.5% (copper), 15.5 to 43.5% (manganese), and 2.66 to 36.4% (chromium). In terms of bioaccessibility of these minerals, pulses provided more than cereals. Speciation analysis of chromium by selective alkaline method demonstrated the presence of the toxic hexavalent chromium in lower concentration than trivalent form. ARTICLE HISTORY

Minerals perform imperative functions in our body, from building strong bones to transmitting nerve impulses-for healthy and long life (Gharibzahedi & Jafari, 2017). Copper (Cu), Manganese (Mn), and chromium (Cr) are among the essential minerals that support numerous functions. Cu is considered vital to humans as it is a cofactor of many redox enzymes, including ceruloplasmin

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