Abstract

BINAGHI, María Julieta; AMBROSI, Vanina  and  LOPEZ, Laura Beatriz. Potential bioavailability of iron, calcium and zinc in gluten-free commercial cookies, pasta and snacks . Diaeta [online]. 2019, vol.37, n.169, pp.08-17. ISSN 1852-7337.

The prevalence of celiac disease may be between 0.5 and 1%, but its incidence is in clear increase. This disease not only affects children; currently, 60% of newly diagnosed patients are adults. The only possible treatment for the celiac population is to follow a gluten-free diet. Gluten-free products commonly contain few ingredients and they are not enriched with micronutrients like their wheat-containing counterparts. The objective  of the present work was to evaluate the potential bioavailability of iron, calcium and zinc in ten gluten free commercial samples, without TACC (wheat, oats, barley and rye). Dry pasta, puddings, snacks, sweet cookies and salty toasts were analyzed. Mineral dialyzability (D) was determined by an in vitro method that simulates the physiological digestion process. The total mineral content was determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy after mineralization with an HNO3-HClO4 mixture (50:50). The potential contribution (PC) of each mineral was established in the different products considering its concentration and dialyzability. The results obtained for the 10 samples were: [Fe] 0.35 to 1.35 mg /%; [Ca] 5 to 315 mg /%; [Zn] 0.15 to 1.11 mg /%. The values of D% were: Fe 4.5-24.7; Ca 15.7-36.7; Zn 8.4-29.5. The available mineral content of the gluten-free foods analyzed was relatively low. The bioavailability of minerals in the samples depends on the element and the composition of the product analyzed. Gluten-free foods do not provide significant amounts of iron. The contributions of zinc and calcium are very low for the different age groups with any of the ten samples studied. It is concluded that it would be advisable to suggest those responsible for establishing public policies in the nutritional field, to arbitrate the means in order to enable the population that must consume gluten-free foods to have access to enriched foods, fundamentally with iron.

Keywords : Gluten-free foods; Celiac disease; Minerals; Potential bioavailability.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )