Review of processes for improving the bioaccessibility of minerals by reducing the harmful effect of phytic acid in wheat

Abstract

BackgroundCurrently, mineral deficiency is one of the major public health problems worldwide, particularly among populations with a vegetarian diet. This diet emphasizes consuming cereals, particularly wheat. Despite its high nutritional intake of minerals, its richness in phytic acid limits its bioaccessibility. Indeed, regardless of its beneficial effects on health, phytic acid considerably affects the bioaccessibility of wheat minerals by preventing their intestinal assimilation via the complexation mechanism between these two components. This review discusses the different methods used for reducing the phytic acid level to improve the bioaccessibility of wheat minerals. Research MethodologyA search was conducted on a range of databases (MEDLINE via PubMed, Springer Link, Google Scholar, Scopus, ProQuest, EBESCO and Web of Science), over the period from 1980 to 2022, using keywords related to clinical risks of phytic acid - mineral complexation in a wheat - based diet, and processes for improving mineral bioaccessibility. From this search, only the relevant works were selected. ResultsIn this paper, an extensive review of literature has been conducted to select publications that provide solutions to this problem. Promising and effective technological processes have been described by many researchers to reduce the prevalence of mineral deficiencies, by reducing the wheat phytic acid content and thus enhancing its mineral bioaccessibility. These processes include the activation of endogenous wheat phytases by fermentation, germination, soaking, acidification with lemon juice or lactic acid, and supplementation with exogenous microbial phytases and ascorbic acid. Their effects on phytic acid reduction and mineral bioaccessibility were critically evaluated. Fermentation and germination emerged as promising methods for activating endogenous wheat phytases to hydrolyze phytic acid effectively. Similarly, exogenous microbial phytases addition and acidification methods demonstrated significant potential in enhancing mineral absorption. ConclusionThe technological processes discussed in this literature review provide solutions to the problem of the presence of phytic acid in wheat. They are well adapted to industrial applications and provide sufficient minerals to populations based on wheat bread.