Indigenous food processing methods that improve zinc absorption and bioavailability of plant diets consumed by the Kenyan population

Abstract

Zinc deficiency is a public health problem associated with pregnancy complications and birth outcomes, impaired immune function, and increased duration and severity of diarrhea in children. Zinc is an essential trace mineral that is a component of over 200 enzymes and is known to be necessary for normal collagen synthesis, mineralization of bones, and is also involved in vital processes such as mitosis, synthesis of DNA and protein, and gene expression and activation. In many low-income countries diets are composed primarily of cereals and legumes which contain phytate that inhibit zinc absorption. Most Kenyan diets are composed of cereals and legumes that have high content of zinc inhibitors, whose levels may be reduced through appropriate food processing technologies at the household level. Indigenous food processing methods like soaking, germination, drying, fermentation, boiling, and roasting, and diet combinations usually reduce the levels of zinc antagonists in the plant diets, thus increasing zinc absorption and bio-availability. These methods are used in combination to both enhance organoleptic properties of food, increasing acceptability and also promoting complementation of nutrients. There are food combination patterns that enhance nutrient bioavailability and complementation that was known to most traditional households and are quickly being forgotten due to changing lifestyles, food preparation methods and food tastes. This is worsened by lack of proper knowledge transfer from the older generation. However, the transfer of indigenous knowledge in food processing, preparation and diet combinations need to be profiled to identify processes that promote nutrient content and bioavailability for improved health and nutrient situation of rural populations whose diets are basically plant based. There is need to identify suitable sources of absorbable zinc and possible suitable dietary combinations that can contribute towards the reduction of zinc deficiency. This paper discusses the indigenous food processing methods that enhance zinc absorption and bioavailability of zinc in local dietary combinations that could reduce zinc deficiency.

The impact of processing methods on chemical composition, mineral bioavailability and functional properties of Nigerian-grown cashew flour

“…The molar ratio of phytate to zinc and calcium were far below the recommended maximum value 15 and 0.24 in all the flour samples indicating better bioavailability for absorption. Similarly, raw and treated cashew flours had phytate to iron ratio within the recommended value of less than 1 (Walingo, 2009). As with iron, zinc, and calcium, it is assumed that magnesium-phytic acid complexes are formed in the intestine, which are insoluble at a pH > 6 (Champagne, 1988) and thus are not absorbable.…”

Testicular apoptosis after dietary zinc deficiency: Ultrastructural and TUNEL studies

“…Zinc deficiency, a global problem, contributes negatively to human health and development [Maret and Sandstead 2008;Walingo 2009]. Moderate and marginal zinc deficiency, due to inadequate intake, is by far more common throughout the world than severe deficiency [Al-Timimi 2009], especially in those stages of life when requirements are increased such as infancy, childhood, and pregnancy [Fesharakinia et al 2009, Hess andKing 2009;Uriu-Adams and Keen 2010].…”

Properties of ice-cream fortified with zinc and Lactobacillus casei

“…Among all various trace elements, zinc is very important and has an eff ective role in the human nutrition and body metabolism. This element is needed to catalyze more than 100 enzymes (Kahraman and Ustunol, 2012;Saper and Rash, 2009;Qin et al, 2009) and is important for immune function, protein synthesis, wound healing, DNA synthesis, and cell division (Hunt and www.food.actapol.net/ Nielsen, 2009;Walingo, 2009). During pregnancy, zinc is needed for normal growth and the development of newborns and it is needed during childhood and adolescence (Simmer and Thompson, 1985).…”