Oat-Protein Iron Supplement Could End Global Iron Deficiency for Good
Researchers at ETH Zurich have created a revolutionary iron supplement using oat proteins and iron nanoparticles. This new compound, an oat-iron hybrid, promises to combat iron deficiency more efficiently and economically than current supplements.
The hybrid prevents iron nanoparticles from clumping and dissolves rapidly under stomach acidity, enhancing absorption. Tests on rats showed it's tasteless, colorless, and doesn't accumulate in organs or tissues. A study in Thailand confirmed its superiority, demonstrating 1.76-fold higher absorption than ferrous sulfate when taken with water, and 1.65-fold when taken with a polyphenol-rich meal.
The team, including Katharina Scherf from the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology, has secured patents in Europe and the United States. The supplement is versatile, dissolving in water or juice, mixing into yogurt, and fortifying cereals. If future trials confirm its promise, it could successfully combat iron deficiency worldwide.
The oat-iron hybrid offers a stable, palatable, and absorbable solution to iron fortification. With its potential to adapt to other deficiencies like zinc and selenium, and its ability to dissolve in various foods, this new iron supplement could revolutionize nutrition, making it an exciting development in the fight against global malnutrition.
