Phytic acid interactions in food systems
1980
Cheryan, Munir
The phytic acid content of cereals and oilseeds ranges from 1-6%. Many researchers have identified phytic acid as the compound in plant foods which reduces the bioavailability of minerals. Since most studies demonstrate an inverse correlation between phytic acid and mineral absorption, high-phytate diets may have adverse nutritional effects. The mechanism by which phytate interacts with cations or proteins to form insoluble or physiologically unavailable complexes is not well understood. Phytate-mineral chelates are insoluble at physiologic pH ranges where mineral absorption occurs. At low pH, electrostatic interactions between negatively-charged phytate and positively charged protein functional groups may cause complex formation. Food processing, rather than phytic acid content alone, may also affect phytic acid binding with food components and micronutrient bioavailability. Further research on mineral-protein-phytate interactions and phytic acid assay methods is needed.
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