Maize phytate

G. R. Findenegg and J. A. Nelenians, The effect of phytase on the availability of P from myo-inositol hexaphosphate (phytate) for maize root. Plant Soil 754 189 (1993). 

Shukla, S., VanToai, T.T., and Pratt, R.C., 2004, Expression and nucleotide sequence of an INS(3)P synthase gene associated with low-phytate kernels in maize (Zea mays L.). J. Agric. Food Chem. 52 4565-4570. 

Iron availability is low in rice and maize-based phytate-rich Third World diets, and blood losses due to hook-worm infections are frequent in these countries. Iron deficiency is the most widespread micronutrient deficiency besides vitamin A and iodide. The prevalence of iron deficiency may be as high as 60% in Third World pre-school children, and almost half of these children (26%) show iron-deficiency anemia (Romero-Abal et al. 1995). However, about half of the even higher prevalence for anemia of up to 70% in African women and children (Quar-shie and Amoaful 1998) seems attributable to inflammation and parasitic infections (Asobayire et al. 2001) and other micronutrient deficiencies, rather than to iron deficiency (Allen et al. 2000). Hypochromic microcytic iron-deficiency anemia reduces physical work capacity, and both show a close correlation (Dallman 1982). As the brain is luxuriously perfused with blood, impairment of intellectual performance in anemia is a very variable symptom. Anemia at an age of 12-18 months seems to compromise the infant s intellectual development. To what extent such deficits in intelligence can be compensated during later development at adequate iron supply levels has been discussed, somewhat controversially, by Walter (1993) and Pollitt (2001). 

Beck, E., Fusseder, A. and Kraus, M. (1989)The maize root system in situ evaluation of structure and capability of utilization of phytate and inorganic soil phosphates. Zeitschrift fur Pflanzen-ernarhrung und Bodenkunde 152, 159-167. 

Hubei, F. and Beck, E. (1993) In-situ determination of the P-relations around the primary root of maize with respect to inorganic and phytate-P. Plant and Soih 57, 1-9. 

Mendoza, C., Viteri, F.E., Lonnerdal, B., Raboy, V., Young, K.A. Brown, K.H. (2001) Absorption of iron from unmodified maize and genetically altered, low-phytate maize fortified with ferrous sulfate or sodium iron EDTA. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 73, 80-85. 

Sian, L., Miller, L.V., Dorsch, JA., and Krebs, N.F. (2004) Zinc absorption from low-phytate hybrids of maize and their wild-type isohybrids. Am. /. Clin. Nutr., 79, 1053-1059. 

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