Quality evaluation of iron-containing food supplements in the Palestinian market

Murad Abualhasan,Rawan Ataya,Shorouq Dwaikat,Anagheem Ali,Munir Al-Atrash

doi:10.1590/fst.01621

Murad Abualhasan, Rawan Ataya + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.1590/fst.01621

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Abstract

Iron is widely used to treat anemia and is prescribed or sold as an over-the-counter drug and food supplement in the local market as well as community pharmacy. The iron supplements available in the Palestinian market were tested for their claimed iron content (% assay) and microbial contamination. Altogether, 18 samples of different pharmaceutical dosage forms were collected from the Palestinian market. These samples represented both local and international markets. The actual iron content in the sample products was determined using potentiometric titration and atomic absorption methods. Moreover, bacterial and fungal contaminations were tested according to international pharmacopeial methods. Results revealed that 72% of the tested samples failed the test, and most of them exceeded the standard limit. The results varied according to source and dosage form. This shows that the iron supplements in the Palestinian markets do not meet the international standard allowable limits. Responsible authorities must take an urgent action. In particular, the Ministry of Health should take corrective actions, such as monitoring the registration and performing regular quality checks on imported and local products.

Highlights

Iron is an essential metal for many human body functions, including hemoglobin formation, brain development and function, body temperature regulation, muscle activity, and catecholamine metabolism (Lieu et al, 2001)
60%–70% of iron in the human body circulates in the blood as hemoglobin (Kohgo et al, 2008; Park, 2015)
Nutritional iron-deficiency anemia is the most common form of anemia, which arises when the physiological needs are unmet by iron absorption from natural sources (Zimmermann & Hurrell, 2007)

Summary

Introduction

Iron is an essential metal for many human body functions, including hemoglobin formation, brain development and function, body temperature regulation, muscle activity, and catecholamine metabolism (Lieu et al, 2001). The major role of iron in hemoglobin is to distribute oxygen to different body tissues and cells. 60%–70% of iron in the human body circulates in the blood as hemoglobin (Kohgo et al, 2008; Park, 2015). The median dietary intake of iron is approximately 16–18 mg/day for men and 12 mg/day for women (Institute of and Panel on 2002, Rajbhandari, Aryal et al 2013). The World Health Organization defines anemia as a drop in blood hemoglobin levels to below 13 g/dL in men and 12 g/dL in women (Johnson-Wimbley & Graham 2011)

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