Magdalena Zielińska-Dawidziak

Study on iron availability from prepared soybean sprouts using an iron-deficient rat model

During soya seeds germination in FeSO(4) solutions their phytoferritin content is multiplied. Prepared soybean sprouts have been proposed as a safe and easily available source of iron supplementation. The preparation was compared with FeSO(4) and ferritin isolates, using rats with induced iron deficiency anaemia. After the end of the 2-week supplementation experiment, it was observed that no statistically significant differences in haemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration existed between those animals supplemented with sprouts enriched in ferritin, ferritin isolate and FeSO(4) and healthy animals forming the control group. Moreover, the examined preparation had a beneficial influence on the recreation of ferritin reserves in both the liver and the blood serum, and also did not induce negative alterations in general growth parameters of animals. Use of an easily obtainable ferritin iron source may be a profitable alternative in supplementation due to its wide availability and food preservative properties.

Legume seeds and cereal grains? capacity to accumulate iron while sprouting in order to obtain food fortificant.

BACKGROUND Prepared sprouts, after culturing in a medium with an increased iron concentration, could become a beneficial food iron fortificant. However, the efficient iron accumulation depends on the plants genus, species and/or varieties. The aim of the study was to indicate the seeds or grains which accumulate iron most efficiently during the sprouting process. METHODS Alfalfa, lentil, lupine and soybean seeds as well as wheat grains were sprouted in abiotic stress conditions induced by the excess of iron(II) in culture media. The tolerance of these plants to iron concentration and its accumulation in the material obtained (with FAAS method) were analyzed. RESULTS The smallest tolerance was noted for lentil seeds and wheat grains. Other plants developed in 25 mM solution of FeSO4. The highest accumulation of iron was observed in alfalfa sprouts. However, lupine and soybean seeds are the most recommended raw material for the production of the sprouts on an industrial scale.

Modification of soybean and lupine sprouting conditions: influence on yield, ROS generation, and antioxidative systems

Formation of free radicals’ and antioxidants’ biosynthesis during seeds sprouting strongly depends on plant growth conditions, especially while sprouts are fortified in iron. The influence of watering with FeSO4 solution on soybean and lupine sprouting, yield of iron accumulated in plant tissue, as well as free radical (reactive oxygen and nitrogen species) synthesis and antioxidant activity (capacity) were the objective of this study. Optimal iron accumulation and biomass efficiency were obtained for 3 day watering with water, followed by abiotic stress application (Fe2+ ions). For lupine sprouts, maximal radical formation (up to ~ 5.7 a.u.) took place on the fifth day of culturing in these conditions, while, for soybean sprouts, continuous increase in their activity was observed until the seventh day (up to ~ 5.8 a.u.). Total antioxidant activity in lupine sprouts increased definitely, even more than three times during 7 days of lupine growing, but, for soybean, it was almost steady. The same trend was observed in phenolic compounds and flavonoids contents. For soybean sprouts, these antioxidants were almost steady, while, for lupine sprouts in these conditions, the intensive synthesis of these antioxidants was observed. In response to high iron content applied from the fourth day in the cultivation media, lupine sprouts synthesize low molecular antioxidants effectively. For soybean sprouts, another mechanism of defense against oxidative stress should be expected.