Pulse Brain · Growing Health Evidence Index
Tier 3 — Observational / field trialPeer-reviewed

et al

Lestienne I. et al.

2005

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Summary

This paper investigates the availability of iron and zinc in pearl millet, a staple cereal crop important to food security in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The study likely explores how antinutritional factors, particularly phytic acid, constrain mineral bioavailability, and may assess the effect of traditional or industrial food processing methods in improving mineral accessibility. The findings contribute to understanding micronutrient sufficiency in populations reliant on pearl millet as a dietary staple.

UK applicability

Pearl millet is not a staple crop in the UK, so direct agronomic applicability is limited; however, the findings are relevant to UK-based nutrition science, food formulation research, and policy discussions on micronutrient deficiency in global food systems.

Key measures

Iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) bioavailability or bioaccessibility (mg or % absorption); phytate content; phytate-to-mineral molar ratios

Outcomes reported

The study examined the bioavailability of iron and zinc in pearl millet, likely assessing the influence of antinutritional factors such as phytates and tannins on mineral absorption. It probably reported iron and zinc bioaccessibility under varying processing or preparation conditions.

Theme
Nutrition & health
Subject
Mineral bioavailability & micronutrient nutrition
Study type
Research
Study design
Laboratory/analytical study
Source type
Peer-reviewed study
Status
Published
Geography
International
System type
Arable cereals
Catalogue ID
XL0900

Topic tags

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