Male weanling Wistar rats were fed a low-iron basal diet for 3 weeks. The iron depleted rats were then divided into 9 groups according to a randomized block design based on body weight. During the repletion period of 2 weeks, one group was fed the low-iron basal diet. The other eight groups received either the basal diet to which was added 5, 10, 15, 20 or 25 mg iron per kg diet as ferrous sulfate or test source diets formulated to provide a total of 15 mg iron per kg diet from either freeze-dried ground beef, textured defatted soy flour product or a 2.3:1 (w/w) mixture of beef and soy product. All diets were isocaloric and isonitrogenous. The relative biological value (RBV) of iron in the test source diet was calculated as the ratio of the amounts of iron from the reference source (ferrous sulfate) and the test source diet required to give the same response in hemoglobin or hematocrit. The RBVs ± 95% confidence limits, calculated on the basis of final hemoglobin levels and hematocrit values, were respectively: freeze-dried ground beef, 56 ± 7 % and 62 ± 7 %; fortified textured defatted soy flour product, 81 ± 10 % and 79 ± 10 %; 2.3:1 (w/w) mixture of freeze-dried ground beef and soy flour product, 65 ± 6 % and 68 ± 6 %. The RBVs obtained for the iron in beef and for that in the soy flour product suggest that the anemic rat might not be a suitable model for normal man when screening such foods for their available iron. In normal man, the absorption of the iron in beef is comparable to that of inorganic reference iron, while that in textured soy flour is about one third. / Land and Food Systems, Faculty of / Graduate

Iron (Fe) deficiency affects more than 3 billion of the global population. The objectives of this study were to (1) determine the genetic and environmental variation of seed Fe concentration and food matrix factors that govern Fe bioavailability in field peas (Pisum sativum L.) grown in North Dakota, USA in 2010 and 2011, and (2) determine the genetic variation of Fe uptake by field pea grown under greenhouse conditions with different Fe treatments. Seed Fe concentration in field pea samples from the field study ranged between 46-53 mg/kg with a mean of 51 mg/kg. Mean concentrations of the food matrix factors in those field peas were as follows: phytic acid=5.1 mg/g, xanthophyll=17.3 mg/100 g, canthaxanthin=86.8 mg/100 g, beta-carotene=516.8 μg/100 g, kestose=1697 mg/100g, quercetin=54.3 mg/100 g, and ferulic acid=46.9 mg/100 g. DS Admiral and CDC Golden showed high concentrations of Fe promoter compounds and low concentrations of phytic acid. DS Admiral showed high Fe uptake with increasing Fe fertilizer rates in the greenhouse study. Therefore, DS Admiral and CDC Golden could be potential field pea genotypes for future Fe biofortification efforts.

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to measure the effectiveness of a grocery store tour that emphasized sources of iron-rich, kid-friendly foods on the participants’ knowledge about dietary iron and iron-rich food sources. A second purpose was to determine if, three months after the grocery store tour, the serum iron levels of the children who had previously been identified by the WIC (Supplemental Women, Infants, and Children) program as being low was higher as compared to the serum iron levels of the control group. Ten parents of children with low iron levels participated in this study, 5 in the control group and 5 in the treatment group. Data collection took place for this research study over the course of three months. The results of this study indicated that the grocery store intervention seemed to have no impact on the children’s hemoglobin levels. The results of this study also indicated that the grocery store tour intervention seemed to have no impact on children’s consumption of iron rich foods. However, the grocery store tour intervention did have a positive impact on parents’ knowledge of iron rich foods and their ability to use unit pricing. / Department of Family and Consumer Sciences

A glucose glycine liquid model system fortified with 24 ppm of iron as either ferrous sulfate, ferric orthophosphate or ferric orthophosphate + 110 ppm ascorbic acid was thermally processed as 240, 250 and 260°F for 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 minutes. Levels of elemental, nonelemental, soluble, total ionic and ferrous iron were measured for the model systems at each processing parameter. Data from the iron profiles were evaluated for the effect of iron salt; ascorbic acid; glucose and glycine, and processing temperature and time on changes in the iron chemistry during processing. The ferrous sulfate model system resulted in significantly higher levels of soluble and ferrous iron. Soluble iron from the ferric orthophosphate model system increased significantly with the addition of ascorbic acid. The presence of glucose and glycine prevented formation of insoluble iron hydroxides during processing of the ferrous sulfate system, promoted solubilization and ionization of iron for the ferric orthophosphate system and restricted the enhancing effect of ascorbic acid on the ferric orthophosphate profile. The interaction of the iron salt with the model system was stimulated by the application of heat. The insignificant correlation between process lethality values and the iron profile for each iron salt indicated that changes in the iron profile were time and temperature dependent. Kinetic parameters were calculated for all three model systems. The ferric orthophosphate iron profile was less sensitive to temperature change than either of the other two model systems. Evaluation of samples at sequential time intervals during the processing treatment allowed for a better understanding of the reaction mechanisms that occurred during processing which brought about a change in the iron profile of each model system. / Master of Science