The potential of the iron concentrated germinated wheat in wheat flour fortification: an alternative to the conventional expensive iron fortification.

Investigation of the effect of the Fe abiotic stress
on the germination rate, iron accumulation, root and shoot
elongation of wheat (Triticum aestivum) was carried out.
The grains were exposed to different experimental concentrations
of ferrous sulfate (FeSO4) (0–15 mM). The
effect of the treatment on the shoot and root elongation of
the seeds were reported. There is a linear relationship
between the treatment and the inhibition of shoot elongation.
The half-inhibition dose (ID50) of FeSO4 on inhibition
of shoot elongation was 7.3 mM. Each treatment groups
(3–15 mM) were used to fortify the wheat flour at 0.1 mg
Fe/g. The effect of fortification on rheology (farinograph,
extensograph, and amylograph), quality of pasta and iron
bioavailability was studied. The pasta cooking properties,
texture and sensory properties of 12 and 15 mM composite
pasta were equally acceptable as wheat without fortification,
or NaFeEDTA fortified pasta. The iron dialysability
of 3–15 mM composite pasta was similar to the
NaFeEDTA fortified pasta. The iron bioavailability
(in vivo) of 15 mM group based pasta was evaluated in the
anemic rats. The pasta at 4% (Fe 0.026 mg/g) in iron-deficient
diet fed to anemic rats for 2 weeks showed percentage
iron absorption (PIA) and hemoglobin regeneration
efficiency (HRE) of 85.3% and 44.4% respectively which
is higher than the NaFeEDTA. In conclusion, iron-fortified
pasta is the promising food fortificant with more iron
bioavailability in the prevention of iron deficiency anemia.