Influence of Spirulina Platensis on the content of iron and zinc in wheat bread

Abstract

It has been found that nutrition does not provide the necessary quantities of some important trace elements, including iron and zinc. Iron is an essential element for all living organisms. It has a key role in the transport of oxygen and as a cofactor in many enzymes. Zinc is a component of more than 200 enzymes involved in the synthesis of proteins and DNA and is needed for the metabolism of growth factors. Enriching bread with mineral substances is a very good approach to overcoming the deficit and achieving adequate levels of intake. Different sources are used for this purpose, but there has been a growing interest in seaweed in recent years.The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of 2 and 4% Spirulina powder supplement on the iron and zinc content of bread made from wheat flour type 500.To determine the iron and zinc content, a highly sensitive ICP-AES method is used. Enrichment with 2% and 4% Spirulina platensis has been found to increase the amount of zinc in wheat bread respectively to 6.36 ± 0.64 mg.kg-1 and 6.77 ± 0.68 mg.kg-1, whereas its content in the control sample is 5.99 ± 0.49 mg.kg-1. The amount of iron in the enriched samples reached 15.9 ± 1.59 mg.kg-1 with the addition of 2% Spirulina plantensis and 24.7 ± 2.48 mg.kg-1 with the addition of 4%, while in the control sample of bread was 7.22 ± 0.58 mg.kg-1. Practical applications: The addition of Spirulina platensis algae to wheat bread increases its biological value and helps to achieve iron and zinc content amounts close to the recommended daily intake levels.