Iron and zinc in commercial and biofortified whole cowpea flours and in akaras

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5327/fst.00400%20

Keywords:

biofortification, iron and zinc, commercial and biofortified cowpea flours, akara

Abstract

Cowpea bean is a legume highly consumed in Brazil, mainly in the North and Northeast regions, and is considered an excellent source of protein, iron, and zinc. The deficiency of these micronutrients mainly affects children and women from developing countries. Biofortification of cowpea grains has been applied to produce foods with high nutritional content, and its flour is used in different types of preparations, mainly to obtain akara. The objective of the study was to evaluate the iron and zinc contents of three biofortified grains and one commercial sample, the flours, and the akaras. The cultivar biofortified cowpea cultivars (BRS Xiquexique, BRS Tumucumaque, and BRS Aracê) cultivated at Embrapa, Meio, Norte, Teresina, Piauí, Brazil were used for the experiments. A commercial sample was used as a control. Iron and zinc analyses were carried out by Atomic Emission Spectrometry, with an inductively coupled plasma source (ICP). All experiments were performed in three replications for each sample. The results were evaluated using analysis of variance (ANOVA), in a completely randomized design, to assess the presence of a significant effect (p ≤ 0.05). The Tukey test was used to determine the differences among the averages. Although there were significant differences among the cultivars of iron and zinc, the ratio between iron and zinc was 2.08. BRS Xiquexique stood out among them, as did the akara formulation. All the results revealed that biofortified cowpea cultivars would be a viable alternative for enriching foods and obtaining akara with high nutritional value and other products.

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Author Biographies

Ana Cláudia TEIXEIRA, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Faculdade de Farmácia, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.

Master in Pharmaceutical Science and Technology - Professional Master's Degree from UFRJ 2024. Has a Bachelor's degree in Nutrition from the University of Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO), an MBA in Food Business Management from Castelo Branco University and technical training in Gastronomy, working in various areas of Nutrition ; Technical manager in an industrial kitchen and daycare center, technical consultant in the Marketing area at a Food Supplements company, nutritionist at a municipal outpatient clinic (certified), teaching instructor at SENAC RJ in the Nutrition and Gastronomy Technician classes, working as a freelance professional in control consultancy of food quality and performance during the pandemic in a Field Hospital. Since 2018, I have worked as a Nutritionist, focusing on weight loss and food education.

Gabriel Henrique SOUZA, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Faculdade de Farmácia, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.

Secondary-secondary education from Sistema Elite de Ensino S.A (2016).  Currently student of the Faculty of Pharmacy - UFRJ.  He has experience in the area of ​​Pharmacy and Food Analysis. IC PIBIC Scholarship - CNPq.

Antonio Gomes SOARES, Embrapa Agroindústria de Alimentos, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.

PhD in Food Science from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in 2003. Researcher at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation for 37 years. Between 1985 and 2011 he participated in 22 research projects, coordinating 13 of these. Area of ​​Food Science and Technology, with an emphasis on Food Quality Assessment and Control and Post-harvest Technology of Fruits and Vegetables.  He is substitute technical responsible for Post-harvest Plant V and the Embrapa Fruit and Vegetable Post-harvest Physiology and Technology laboratory.

José Luiz Viana de CARVALHO, Embrapa Agroindústria de Alimentos, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.

Degree in Agricultural Engineering from the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro (1981) and a master's degree in Food Science and Technology from the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro (1985). Currently a researcher at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation sice 1990.  Experience in the area of ​​Food Science and Technology, with an emphasis on Chemistry, Physics, Physical Chemistry and Biochemistry of Food.and Food Raw Materials, working mainly on the following topics: food biofortification, food safety from GMOs, rice, beans, technological quality, processing, parboiled rice and Quality Management Systems ISO 17025, BPL(OECD), ISO 9000, ISO 1400, SA8000.

Mirian Ribeiro Leite MOURA, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Faculdade de Farmácia, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

Possui graduação em Farmácia com Habilitação em Bioquímica (opção Alimentos) pela Universidade Federal Fluminense (1978), mestrado em Ciência e Tecnologia de Alimentos pela Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (1986) e doutorado em Ciência de Alimentos pela Universidade Estadual de Campinas (2000). Atualmente é professora associada lotada no Departamento de Produtos Naturais e Alimentos - Faculdade de Farmácia/Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. É responsável pela disciplina de Análise de Alimentos (curso de graduação). Coordena o Laboratório de Controle Bromatológico e Microscópico (LabCBroM) - unidade prestadora de serviços - Acreditado por CGCRE INMETRO N - CRL 1776, estabelecida no Departamento de Produtos Naturais e Alimentos da Faculdade de Farmácia. O laboratório presta serviços especializados na área de qualidade de alimentos, dando suporte técnico e orientação aos alunos de estágio curricular do curso de Farmácia, bem como aos alunos de IC, mestrado e doutorado , que buscam análises pertinentes aos seus projetos. Tem experiência na área de Ciência e Tecnologia de Alimentos, atuando principalmente em: garantia da qualidade e controle de qualidade de alimentos.

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Published

2025-07-01

How to Cite

CARVALHO, L. M. J. de, TEIXEIRA, A. C., SOUZA, G. H., SOARES, A. G., CARVALHO, J. L. V. de, MOURA, M. R. L., SILVA, O., BASTOS, P., & FINCO, F. D. B. A. (2025). Iron and zinc in commercial and biofortified whole cowpea flours and in akaras . Food Science and Technology, 45. https://doi.org/10.5327/fst.00400

Issue

Vol. 45 (2025)

Section

Original Articles