| Zinc deficiency affects about 25% of the world's population causing linear growth retardation and impaired immune function. Animal foods are the best sources of zinc. Although plant foods contain zinc, it may not be absorbable due to the presence of phytate. Phytate binds to cations such as calcium (Ca 2+), zinc (Zn 2+), iron (Fe2+) copper (Cu2+) and magnesium (Mg 2+) making them unavailable for absorption by humans. In developing countries where animal based foods are relatively expensive mostly plant based foods are consumed, determining the phytate: zinc molar ratio serves as a non-invasive way to estimate the potential for zinc deficiency. Maize meals, cassava, cocoyam, oil palm, egusi, and peanuts, common foods in Ghana, were analyzed for their phytate content using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The results were compared with zinc values to calculate the phytate: zinc molar ratio. A ratio greater than 10 is indicative of low zinc bioavailability. Egusi had the highest ratio of ∼890 while Fante kenkey had the lowest molar ratio of ∼0.43. Ga kenkey had a ratio of 1.45, peanuts 14.11, oil palm 1.30, cassava 16.07, and cocoyam 67.16. Fermented foods had lower phytate: zinc molar ratios. Future studies should examine more foods from developing countries in all stages of processing. |
