Nutrientes clave en la alimentación complementariael hierro en fórmulas y cereales

Abstract

The following formulas and infant cereals are fortified according to the provisions of the legislation. However, baby food fortification is not always as effective. In the case of iron, not all salts authorized by law have the same bioavailability, and therefore may cause a low iron absorption undetected leading to situations of deficiency. A deficient diet during startup of complementary feeding (4-7 months) is the main cause of iron deficiency, and is usually caused by other factors such as the presence of compounds modifying dietary iron absorption, as phytates, calcium, oxalates, vitamin C or protein. Iron deficiency is currently the most prevalent nutritional problem among the population. In most industrialized countries threatens more than 60% of women and children, while in industrialized countries between 12-18% of women and 9.6% of children suffer from anemia. Therefore, supplementary feeding is an ideal vehicle for preventive nutritional intervention and avoids situations of need. The search for sources of highly absorbable iron is a key challenge for the baby food industry.