New approaches for correcting zinc deficiency without zinc fortification, Barbara Harland and Donald Oberleas
Barbara F. Harland, Howard University, USA
Donald Oberleas, Texas Tech University, USA
Purpose: Emphatically state that zinc deficiency is the most prevalent nutritional deficiency worldwide. Introduce the Phytate: Zinc Molar Ratio as a tool for predicting zinc deficiency. To introduce the consequences or degree of severity of zinc deficiency and the ease of assessing the deficiency by measuring zinc and phytate intakes, performing the appropriate calculations, and collecting quantifiable data. To provide evidence that the use of a naturally-occurring fungus will, when added to the diet, hydrolyze the phytate, rendering it harmless, and releasing the bound minerals, especially zinc for absorption into the body.
Design/methodology/approach: Obtain the Phytate: Zinc Molar Ratio of a variety of foods using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AASpec).
Findings: Any food with a Phytate:Zinc Molar Ratio greater than 10 contributes to zinc deficiency.
Originality/value: Introducing a new tool – the Phytate:Zinc Molar Ratio – for estimating and predicting zinc deficiency in animals and humans.
Keywords: Zinc, Phytate, Phytase, Deficiency, Growth, Phytate, Zinc Molar Ratio, Nutrition
