Iron retention in iron-fortified rice and use of iron-fortified rice to treat women with iron deficiency: A pilot study

1. Evaluate the effect of washing and cooking iron-fortified rice on iron retention and bioavailability. 2. Evaluate the effect of iron-fortified rice on women with iron deficiency anemia 1. Iron-fortified rice (18mg/100g as FeSO4) was cooked in Baton Rouge, Louisiana (C), rinsed and cooked (RC), fried and cooked (FC), cooked with extra water (CW), or soaked and cooked with extra water (SCW), and iron retention was determined. 2. Rice samples were cooked in Kampala, Uganda in a lab (C-Uganda) and households using traditional cooking method (TC-Uganda) and iron retention were determined. 3. Seventeen women with iron deficiency (low iron and/or low ferritin) anemia were randomized to 100g/d of rice (two cooked 0.75 cup servings) for two weeks containing 18mg/d iron (supplemented) or 0.5mg/d iron (un-supplemented). Hemoglobin and hematocrit were evaluated at baseline and 2weeks with other measures of iron metabolism. 1. Iron retention, from highest to lowest, was (C), (RC), (FC), (C-Uganda), (CW), (SCW) and (TC-Uganda). 2. Seventeen women were randomized and 15 completed the study (hemoglobin 10.6±1.6g, hematocrit 33.7±4.1%), 9 in the iron-fortified rice group and 6 in the un-fortified rice group. The iron-fortified group had a greater increase in hemoglobin (0.82g, p=0.0035) and Hematocrit (1.83%, p=0.0248) with directional differences in other measures of iron metabolism favoring the iron-fortified group. Iron-fortified rice increased hemoglobin and hematocrit in women with iron-deficient anemia. Iron deficiency and anemia are widespread in Southeast Asia and Africa and undermine development in these regions. •Iron deficiency is prevalent engendering poor health and cognitive development.•Iron deficiency can be treated effectively with iron fortification.•Iron rinses in a rice-based diet have leached reducing fortification.•An iron rinse resistant leaching during cooking is described.•The leach-resistant iron rinse improved iron deficiency anemia in a clinical trial.