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POPULATION STUDIES OF ZINC DEFICIENCY BY NON‐INVASIVE TECHNIQUES
Author(s) -
Harland Barbara Ferguson,
Oberleas Donald
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.5.a721-b
Subject(s) - zinc , zinc deficiency (plant disorder) , population , nitric acid , ashing , atomic absorption spectroscopy , food science , phosphorus , chemistry , trace minerals , biology , zoology , medicine , environmental health , organic chemistry , physics , quantum mechanics
Zinc deficiency is the most prevalent deficiency worldwide. This study describes a diagnosis of zinc deficiency in Maya children of Guatemala. Phytate, a natural constituent of plant seeds, is the major determinant of dietary zinc deficiency. Correlation between a dietary phytate:zinc molar ratio is 0.97. No invasive techniques were required. Growth is considered the most prevalent performance criteria in young animals or children. Ideal standards for these children were not available because of the diversity of heights and weights within a population. Technology is available for precise analysis of foodstuffs for phytate and zinc. An HPLC method for phytate takes advantage of the insolubility of ferric phytate in dilute acid in precisely controlled conditions and is both specific and precise. Microwave ashing in sealed Teflon vessels with concentrated nitric acid as the digestive reagent with samples for zinc improves the precision of the analyses by atomic absorption. The major components of the Maya diet are maize tortillas and refried black beans, both of plant origin and rich in phytate. The methodology and the results from studies of Maya children will be discussed.