Biotechnological aspects for enhancement of mineral bioavailability from cereals and legumes

Abstract

India is bound to be the global leader in terms of production and consumption of cereals and legumes and food products based on cereals and legumes. Cereals and legumes are a major source of edible proteins, carbohydrates and total dietary fiber and therefore considered to be highly valuable in human and animal nutrition. Micronutrient deficiency is a serious risk to the health and efficiency of billions of people of both developed and developing countries. Minerals (iron, zinc and calcium) are important microelements that play various fundamental roles in the human body. Besides this, cereals and legumes also contribute to the consumption of various minerals, including calcium, iron and zinc, in daily intake of food. Nutritional quality of cereals and legumes is directly correlated with the presence of antinutritional factors, and therefore, several methods have been introduced to combat these problems in foods to improve the nutritional value of both cereals and legumes. Also, numerous biotechnological tools and various pretreatments have been included to improve the bioavailability of minerals. Therefore, this chapter is concerned with the mineral bioavailability from different cereals and legumes consumed in India and worldwide. Effects of various treatments of cereals and legumes on mineral bioavailability and bioaccessibility have also been discussed.