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Objective and design: Food grains such as green gram, chickpea and finger millet are often subjected to traditional processing involving germination and fermentation. This study was designed to assess the effect of germination of these grains on the bioaccessibility of zinc and iron. The effect of fermentation of a cereal-pulse combination as encountered in the preparation of breakfast dishes -idli, dosa and dhokla -on the same was also evaluated. Bioaccessibility measurement was made employing an in vitro simulated digestion method. Result: Zinc bioaccessibility was significantly decreased by germination (48 h) of finger millet (38%) and green gram (44%), while iron bioaccessibility was increased by 62% (green gram), 39% (chickpea) and 20% (finger millet), concomitant with a reduction in tannin content. A fermented batter of rice þ black gram À 2:1 (idli) and 3:1 (dosa) -had higher bioaccessibility values for zinc (71 and 50%, respectively), while iron bioaccessibility values were increased in these cases of fermentation to an even greater extent, namely 277 and 127%, respectively. Zinc and iron bioaccessibility was not improved by fermentation of the combination of chickpea, green gram, black gram and rice (1:1:0.5:0.5; dhokla). A fermentation of cereal-legume combinations of idli and dosa batter significantly reduced both phytate and tannin, while in the case of dhokla batter there was a continued significant presence of phytate associated with additional legumes -chickpea and green gram. Conclusion: Germination of food grains improved the bioaccessibility of iron but not that of zinc. Fermentation of a batter of cereal-pulse combination in the preparation of idli and dosa enhanced the bioaccessibility of both zinc and iron, but not that of the combination used for the preparation of dhokla.

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Four common acidulants in Indian dietary, i. e., citric acid, tamarind (Tamarindus indica), amchur (Mangifera indica), and kokum (Garcinia indica) were examined for a possible influence on the bioaccessibility of zinc from selected food grains. Among the four acidulants examined, amchur and citric acid generally enhanced the bioaccessibility of zinc and iron from all the food grains studied. The increase in zinc bioaccessibility produced by citric acid was around 40% in rice and chickpea, while amchur produced around 60% increase from decorticated green gram. This positive influence of acidulants on zinc bioaccessibility from food grains was seen both in the raw and cooked form. Tamarind and kokum, the other two acidulants tested, generally did not have a favourable influence on zinc and iron bioaccessibility. This lack of positive influence of these two acidulants on mineral availability could be attributable to the presence of significant amounts of tannin in them. Citric acid and amchur also generally enhanced the bioaccessibility of iron from these food grains.

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