Fortify Flour
Spot Test Results
A modified version of the iron spot test was shown to effectively reveal the presence of sodium iron EDTA (NaFeEDTA) in fortified flour.
The traditional iron spot test is a common qualitative test used in flour mills to detect iron fortificants in flour. It uses three reagents and causes red spots to appear if the flour is fortified with most iron compounds. However with NaFeEDTA, using hydrogen peroxide as one of the reagents has the opposite effect as it causes the spots to disappear. When hydrogen peroxide is excluded as a reagent, the spot test can be used as a qualitative test with flour fortified with NaFeEDTA.
The traditional iron spot test is formally Method 40-40.01: Iron Qualitative Method as approved by the American Association of Cereal Chemists (AACC). FFI will seek AACC approval of this modified test for NaFeEDTA.
NaFeEDTA is considered highly bioavailable. It is the only form of iron recommended when fortifying flour with an extraction rate of 80% or more. High extraction flour, often called whole wheat flour, also has high phytate content which inhibits iron absorption. Consequently a highly bioavailable form of iron is needed for fortification of high extraction flours.
Spot Test Results
A modified version of the iron spot test was shown to effectively reveal the presence of sodium iron EDTA (NaFeEDTA) in fortified flour.
The traditional iron spot test is a common qualitative test used in flour mills to detect iron fortificants in flour. It uses three reagents and causes red spots to appear if the flour is fortified with most iron compounds. However with NaFeEDTA, using hydrogen peroxide as one of the reagents has the opposite effect as it causes the spots to disappear. When hydrogen peroxide is excluded as a reagent, the spot test can be used as a qualitative test with flour fortified with NaFeEDTA.
The traditional iron spot test is formally Method 40-40.01: Iron Qualitative Method as approved by the American Association of Cereal Chemists (AACC). FFI will seek AACC approval of this modified test for NaFeEDTA.
NaFeEDTA is considered highly bioavailable. It is the only form of iron recommended when fortifying flour with an extraction rate of 80% or more. High extraction flour, often called whole wheat flour, also has high phytate content which inhibits iron absorption. Consequently a highly bioavailable form of iron is needed for fortification of high extraction flours.