Zinc and phytate concentrations, phytate: Zinc molar ratio, and metallocalorie ratio of zinc and protein contents of some selected nigerian dietary foods

Abstract

Analyses were carried out on zinc, phytate and protein content of some Nigerian dietary foods and the results used to compute the phytate: zinc molar ratios as well as the metallocalorie ratio for zinc of the different foods. Foods analysed were generally low in zinc with individual values ranging from 5.2 to 28.0 ppm with most foods containing less than 5 mg zinc/1000 kcals. Legume based foods contained the highest average amounts of zinc (26.85 ppm) followed by cereal, vegetable and root based foods with average zinc values of 17.62, 15.44 and 14.75 ppm respectively. Phytate content of foods varied widely with most of the high phytate containing (≥735 mg/100 gm) foods being of legume and cereal origin. The average phytate: zinc molar ratios (PZMR) of 19:1 for cereal based foods and 14:1 for legume based foods suggest that zinc may be less available from these sources than from root or vegetable based foods with an average PZMR of 8:1.