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Cassava (Manihot esculenta) has high potential for iron biofortification

Since cassava is a crop targeted for biofortification, we studied the relationship between iron content and iron bioavailability in three cassava varieties. Phenolic compounds, ascorbic acid, carotenoids, valence of iron and myo‐inositol hexakisphosphate (IP6) were also measured. The in vitro digestion/Caco‐2 model was used to assess bioavailable iron. Cassava is used in several traditional dishes that are represented by two preparations; cooked (e.g. soups, to be fried, or to be covered with salsa) and bread flour (e.g. dried and grinded for further used as an ingredient in several bread making recipes). More Fe was present in the bread flour (10.5‐18.3 mg g‐1) than in the cooked samples (5.6–7.5 mg g‐1). Iron solubility ranged from 6–36 % in the cooked samples and from 17–30% in the bread flour samples. No phenolic compounds or ascorbic acid were detected. IP6 concentration was 2.0‐4.9‐mmol g‐1. With respect to carotenoids only all‐trans‐b‐carotene was found both in the cooked and flour samples at concentrations of 0.14‐0.44‐ng g‐1. Caco‐2 cell iron uptake of 0.082 mmoles of intrinsic cassava Fe was comparable to the uptake from 1mmole of FeCl3, indicating that cassava Fe was highly available within both the cooked and bread flour samples. This relatively high level of availability appears to be due to enhanced levels of Fe+2, suggesting the presence of a reducing compound in the cassava. These results suggest that Fe from cassava may be highly available, and that the cassava matrix may enhance the bioavailability of Fe of other sources of Fe consumed in the same meal.