Iron fortification of finger millet (Eleucine coracana) flour with EDTA and folic acid as co-fortificants

Fortification of staple foods with iron is a feasible strategy to enhance the intake of this mineral. In the present investigation, finger millet flour was explored for its suitability as a vehicle for fortification with iron. Ferrous fumarate and ferric pyrophosphate were added at levels that provided 6 mg of iron per 100 g of the flour, and both were found to be equally effective. Inclusion of EDTA and folic acid, along with the iron salts, significantly increased the bioaccessibility of iron from the fortified flours. The fortified flours were stable up to a period of 60 days. There was a decline in the bioaccessible iron content in the flour fortified with ferric pyrophosphate after 30 days of storage. Heat processing of the flours improved the bioaccessibility of iron from the unfortified and fortified flours. Fortification with iron did not affect the bioaccessibility of the native zinc from the flours.