Estimación del contenido de hierro, ácido fólico, tiamina, riboflavina y niacina en alimentos elaborados con harina de trigo enriquecida

Background

The enrichment of the wheat flour with iron, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and folate, has been a relevant nutrition strategy in the prevention of moderate deficiency of certain vitamins and minerals in many countries, because it is a widely consumed commodity, cheap, highly accepted by the population and consumed daily. In Argentina the law 25.630 “Prevention of anaemia and neural tube defects” sets that provision.

Aim

The aim of this work was to assess iron, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid content in food elaborated with enriched wheat flour.

Material and methods

This observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out on a random sample of bakeries and industries willing to provide information; nutritional labelling data were also considerate.

Results

Values (mg/100g) for the content of iron, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and folic acid in foods elaborated with fortified wheat flour were compiled from data provided by ten bakeries of Rufino and Rosario city (Santa Fe), two factories of pasta and data declared in food labels. Grisines, industry prepared tart pastry and common French bread were the food items with a higher iron content.

Conclusions

Estimations of nutrient content in foods based on calculations, as done in this study, are less accurate than those based on chemical analysis of foods that could be incorporated into food composition tables.