Bioaccessibility of minerals from cereal-based composite meals and ready-to-eat foods

Mineral content and bioaccessibility of 4 home-made composite meals and 6 commercial ready-to-eat (RTE) foods were assessed. Bioaccessibility of Fe from composite meals based oil 4 staple cereals ranged from 1.5% (finger millet meal) to 4.7% (wheat meal), while that of Zn, from 8.5% (rice meal) to 0.31% (sorghum meal) and of Ca, from 5.1% (wheat meal) to 9.8% (rice meal). Rice and finger millet meals provided more bioaccessible Zn and Ca, while wheat and sorghum meals had more bioaccessible Fe. Commercial RTE foods provided more bioaccessible Zn and Ca than the corresponding whole meals. Thus, intake of minerals is not compromised by consuming the traditional RTE foods instead of regular home-cooked meals.