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Comparison of a Modified Hemoglobin Regeneration Efficiency Method with a Slope-Ratio Assay in Measuring Relative Bioavailability of Cocoa Powder Iron Using Rats

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Abstract

The slope-ratio assay is being used as a gold standard for determining iron bioavailability in foods. We compared the modified hemoglobin (Hb) regeneration efficiency (HRE) method (Yokoi K, Konomi A, & Otagi M (2009) Br J Nutr 102: 215–220) with the slope-ratio assay for measurement of iron bioavailability. The relative bioavailability of iron in cocoa powder was measured by both methods using ferric citrate as a control (i.e., 1.00). In the slope-ratio assay, thirty-two 4-week-old male F/344 N rats were depleted in iron stores for 28 days, and then eight groups of four rats each were repleted for 25 days using graded levels of dietary ferric citrate or the cocoa powder. The slope for the cocoa powder 1.720 g Hb/L/(mg Fe/kg) was 0.99 that of ferric citrate 1.727 g Hb/L/(mg Fe/kg). On the other hand, the HRE value of the cocoa powder was 0.96 that of ferric citrate, based on the previous report. The relative iron bioavailabilities measured by both methods agreed, indicating that the modified HRE method is compatible with the slope-ratio assay in measuring the bioavailability of iron in foods.

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Abbreviations

Hb:

Hemoglobin

HRE:

Hb regeneration efficiency

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Acknowledgment

There is no conflict of interest. This study was partly supported by the Iijima Memorial Foundation for the Promotion of Food Science and Technology. Author contributions: KY designed the study, conducted the sample collection, did the data analysis, and contributed to the drafting and the writing of the manuscript; AK contributed to the execution of the experiment and to the drafting of the manuscript; MO contributed to the execution of the experiment and to the data collection.

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  1. Aki Konomi

    Present address: Department of Home Economics, Aichi Gakusen University, 28 Kamikawanari, Hegoshi-cho, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8520, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Nutrition, Seitoku University Graduate School, 550 Iwase, Matsudo, Chiba, 271-8555, Japan

    Katsuhiko Yokoi & Aki Konomi

  2. Department of Human Nutrition, Seitoku University Faculty of Human Nutrition, Chiba, Japan

    Katsuhiko Yokoi & Miki Otagi

Authors
  1. Katsuhiko Yokoi
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  2. Aki Konomi
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  3. Miki Otagi
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Correspondence to Katsuhiko Yokoi.

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Yokoi, K., Konomi, A. & Otagi, M. Comparison of a Modified Hemoglobin Regeneration Efficiency Method with a Slope-Ratio Assay in Measuring Relative Bioavailability of Cocoa Powder Iron Using Rats. Biol Trace Elem Res 143, 1103–1109 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-010-8953-1

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