Bioavailability of Zinc and Iron from Mature Winged Bean Seed Flour

The relative bioavailability of zinc and iron from mature winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) flour was determined utilizing standard rat bioassay procedures. Weight gain of rats after 21 days and total bone (tibia) zinc resulting from zinc addition to the standard diet as zinc carbonate or from zinc endogenous to winged bean flour were compared. The relative bioavailability of winged bean zinc was calculated to be 85% (P < 0.05) and 93% (N.S.) when weight gain and log tibia zinc were the criteria of evaluation. The results of the hemoglobin repletion assay indicated that iron from winged bean was 89% (N.S.) as bioavailable iron from ferrous sulfate.