Effect of Heat Treatment on Meat Enhancement of Dietary Iron Bioavailability of Meat/Ferrous Sulfate and Meat/Hemoglobin Mixtures Fed to Anemic Rats

The effect of autoclaving on meat enhancement of dietary iron bioavailability was studied. Meat was mixed with FeSO 4 or hemoglobin to obtain ratios of iron from meat to iron from FeSO 4 or hemoglobin of 100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, and 0:100. One‐half of each mixture (except meat:FeSO 4 mixture 0:100) was autoclaved for 90 min at 15 psi. The meat mixtures were lyophilized and formulated into diets to provide approximately 35 mg Fe/kg. Hemoglobin regeneration efficiency (HRE) was determined as the percent iron gained as hemoglobin relative to the iron consumed. Heat increased the HREs of meat/hemoglobin mixtures and of hemoglobin. Heat did not affect the HRE of meat or meat/ferrous sulfate mixtures. Meat did not significantly enhance the bioavailability of total dietary iron.