Absorption of calcium from tortilla meals prepared from low-phytate maize

• Published in: The American journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 82; no. 1; pp. 84 - 87
• Main Authors: Hambidge, K.M, Krebs, N.F, Westcott, J.L, Sian, L, Miller, L.V, Peterson, K.L, Raboy, V
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD American Society for Clinical Nutrition 01.07.2005; American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc
• Subjects: Adult; alkali treatment; Biological and medical sciences; Calcium; Calcium, Dietary - administration & dosage; Calcium, Dietary - pharmacokinetics; Corn; corn products; Diet; exchangeable calcium; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; food fortification; fortified foods; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; intestinal absorption; Intestinal Absorption - drug effects; Meals; nixtamalization; nutrient availability; phytic acid; Phytic Acid - administration & dosage; Phytic Acid - pharmacology; tortillas; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Zea mays; Zea mays - classification; Human; Absorption; low-phytate maize alleles; Calcium; Low; Meal; tortillas; Maize; calcium absorption; phytate
• ISSN: 0002-9165; 1938-3207
• DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/82.1.84

Background: Calcium fortification of maize has been achieved for millennia in Central America by the process of nixtamalization. Bioavailability of calcium is, however, compromised by phytate, which is present in large quantities in maize kernels and is only modestly reduced by nixtamalization. Objective: The objective was to compare the absorption of calcium from tortilla meals prepared from low-phytate maize with that from meals prepared from maize with typical phytate content. Design: At 1-mo intervals, 5 healthy adult women were fed 2 test meals of approximately equal to 140 g tortillas in lieu of breakfast. On one occasion, the tortillas were prepared from maize with approximately equal to 60% phytate reduction, and, on the other occasion, they were prepared from the matching isohybrid wild-type maize. Beginning midway through the test meal, 44Ca (0.3 mg/kg body wt) was administered in water as an extrinsic label; 42Ca (0.06 mg/kg body wt) was administered intravenously immediately after the test meal. Isotope ratios of 42Ca to 43Ca and of 44Ca to 43Ca were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in urine collected as an 8-h pool from the period 16-24 h after intravenous tracer administration and prepared by the oxalate precipitation method. Fractional absorption of calcium was determined by using a dual-isotope ratio technique. Results: Mean fractional absorption of calcium from tortillas prepared from the low-phytate maize (0.50 +/- 0.03) was significantly (P = 0.003) greater than that from tortillas prepared from the control maize (0.35 +/- 0.07). Conclusion: The increase in the quantity of calcium absorbed could be of practical importance for calcium nutriture when the intake of dairy products is limited.