:e10190

Summary

This study, published in PLoS ONE in 2010, examines the role of nicotianamine — a non-proteinogenic amino acid present in cereal grains — as a potential enhancer of iron bioavailability from rice. The research likely demonstrates that nicotianamine chelates iron in a form that facilitates intestinal absorption, offering a plausible mechanism for improving iron nutrition through dietary or biofortification strategies. The findings have relevance to addressing iron deficiency anaemia in rice-dependent populations, suggesting that breeding or agronomic approaches to increase nicotianamine in rice grain could be beneficial.

UK applicability

Rice is not a staple crop grown in the UK, so direct agronomic applicability is limited; however, the findings are relevant to UK nutritional science, food fortification policy, and global development programmes supported by UK research institutions addressing micronutrient deficiency in rice-consuming populations.

Key measures

Iron bioavailability; nicotianamine content; iron absorption indicators (likely serum ferritin, haemoglobin, or isotopic iron absorption)

Outcomes reported

The study investigated whether nicotianamine, a metal-chelating compound found in rice, improves the bioavailability of iron to humans, likely measuring iron absorption or related biomarkers in human subjects or in vitro/cell models.

Topic tags