Effects of Iron Enrichment of Adzuki Bean (Vigna angularis) Sprouts on Elemental Translocation, Concentrations of Proteins, Distribution of Fe-Metalloproteins, and Fe Bioaccessibility

Abstract

Iron (Fe) is an essential element for human nutrition, and its deficiency or low hemoglobin levels are a global health issue. Strategies aimed at increasing the amounts of essential elementals in agricultural products, as sprouts of adzuki bean (Vigna angularis), can be a way to minimize deficiencies, mainly in the populations of developing countries. Therefore, in this work was evaluated: production of Fe-enriched adzuki bean sprouts

Fe accumulation and translocation in plants in different culture media enriched with different Fe masses (500, 1000, 2000, and 3000 mu g)

and effects of the enrichment by means of 3000 mu g Fe-III-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (Fe-III-EDTA): on the distribution of Ca, Cu, Fe, K, P, Mg, S, and Zn in different parts of the plant

on protein concentrations (albumins, globulins, prolamins, and glutelins) and their association with Fe in edible parts of the plant (stems)

and on Fe bioaccessibility in the edible part of the plant (stems). The enrichment via FeIII-EDTA favored the translocation and increased Fe content of sprouts (75%), besides promoting interactions of Fe with albumins (141%), globulins (180%), and glutelins (93%). In the bioaccessibility assays, Fe was 83% bioaccessible in Fe-enriched sprouts.