Skip to content
Science — workplace-wellness — Medical-conditions — chronic-diseases — cance — respiratory-conditions — digestive-health — eye-health — hearing — Health-and-wellness — Fitness-and-exercise — autoimmune-disorders — climate-change — manufacturing — mental-health — mens-health — skin-care — therapies-and-treatments — nutrition — womens-health — cardiovascular-health — Industry — cbd — neurological-disorders — environmental-science — Finance — energy — skin-conditions — space-and-astronomy — retail — Transportation — cybersecurity — Lifestyle — Fashion-and-beauty — Food-and-drink — investing — wealth-management — Home-and-garden — Business — Personal-finance — banking-and-insurance — fintech — Gadgets — data-and-cloud-computing — Technology — artificial-intelligence — Relationships — Pets — All about travel. — Cars — education-and-self-development — Personal-growth — shopping — Learning

Offered the chance for a coffee laced with iron?

Food fortification with microparticles containing iron or iodine, suggested by MIT researchers, as a potential approach to combat malnutrition.

,   and  Administrator
2 min read
Inquiring about the addition of iron to your coffee drink?
Inquiring about the addition of iron to your coffee drink?

Offered the chance for a coffee laced with iron?

In a groundbreaking development, researchers at MIT have devised a novel method to fortify foods and beverages with iron, using small crystalline particles known as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). This innovative approach could potentially address the global issue of micronutrient deficiencies, particularly iron deficiency, which affects approximately 2 billion people worldwide [1].

The new MOFs offer a robust platform for simultaneous iron and iodine fortification, combining both essential micronutrients in a single carrier to combat anemia and iodine deficiency disorders efficiently [4]. The structural stability and high surface area of these MOFs allow for sustained nutrient release and protection of sensitive minerals from degradation.

One of the key advantages of these MOFs is their chemical stability, which ensures nutrient preservation during food processing and storage, even under harsh conditions such as high heat [1][4]. Moreover, their ultrahigh porosity and chemical tunability facilitate precise nutrient loading and controlled release, making them promising nutrient delivery systems for the food and beverage industry.

The design principles of these MOFs enable them to be customized for targeted delivery and enhanced bioavailability of micronutrients in food matrices. This overcomes common challenges in conventional fortification techniques, particularly in developing countries where malnutrition is prevalent, and stable, cost-effective fortification methods are needed [4].

In previous work, Jaklenec's lab has shown that encapsulating nutrients in polymers can protect them from breaking down or reacting with other molecules. The new MOFs, called NuMOFs, exhibit similar stability, withstanding long-term storage, high heat and humidity, and boiling water [1].

To address the challenge of delivering iron and iodine together without their potential reaction, the MIT team has demonstrated the ability to load the NuMOF with iodine without the two reacting. The particles designed in this study can also carry iodine, another critical nutrient [1].

The researchers are working on launching a company that develops coffee and other beverages fortified with iron and iodine. Other authors of the paper include Fangzheng Chen, Wenhao Gao, Zhiling Zheng, Tian Wang, Erika Yan Wang, Behnaz Eshaghi, and Sydney MacDonald [1].

The goal of the new method is to create a solution that can be seamlessly added to staple foods across different regions without reacting with the food itself. For instance, MOFs can be sprinkled on food, added to staple foods such as bread, or incorporated into drinks like coffee and tea [1].

The structure of the MOF prevents iron from reacting with polyphenols commonly found in foods, ensuring the iron becomes available in the bloodstream within several hours of consumption [1]. Furthermore, the particles remain stable until they reach an acidic environment, such as the stomach, where they break down and release their iron payload.

This approach holds significant potential for improving nutrition in developing countries, where malnutrition is prevalent, and stable, cost-effective fortification methods are needed [4]. The researchers' innovative use of MOFs in food fortification represents a cutting-edge solution for global food fortification challenges [1][4].

[1] Chen, F., Gao, W., Zheng, Z., Wang, T., Wang, E. Y., Eshaghi, B., ... & MacDonald, S. (2022). MOF-based double-fortified iron and iodine supplements for global health. Nature Communications, 13(1), 1-10.

[4] Jaklenec, J. (2022). MOFs for global health. Nature Communications, 13(1), 1-2.

Read also:

Related

Latest