Rice can only be fortified with ferric pyrophosphate (FePP), which is of low bioavailability in human subjects. Compounds such as citric acid/trisodium citrate (CA/TSC) or sodium ethylene-diamine tetraacetic-acid (EDTA) could serve as absorption enhancers. Recent findings from single meal studies indicate CA/TSC to have an enhancing effect on iron absorption from FePP-fortified rice. In contrast, ZnO has been suggested to have detrimental effects. Furthermore, in vitro findings suggest an increased iron solubility from iron and EDTA-co-fortified rice - but the bioavailability in humans remains to be investigated. These effects should thus be investigated in 'real-life' conditions, when fortified rice is implemented in a complete diet administered throughout several days in a target population for a rice fortification program. Objective: To assess iron absorption from the diet from different iron fortified rice formulations in iron deficient anaemic children. The investigators aim to conduct an iron absorption study in 30 Ghanaian school-age children investigating different fortification approaches in a multiple meal randomized, cross over study.
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Fractional iron absorption
Timeframe: baseline, 6 weeks, 11 weeks