<b>Estimate of percentage of bioavailability and iron frequency in the menu of a university hospital restaurant</b> - DOI: 10.4025/actascitechnol.v31i1.363

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to calculate the iron bioavailability and to evaluate the frequency of the mineral, that makes part of the institutional meals of a University Hospital´s restaurant. An algorithm was used to calculate the percentage of iron bioavailability in the four institutional meals. Institutional meal nº 2 presented the higher frequency of iron whereas the nº 3 presented the lowest. The highest mean of iron ingested was evidenced in nº 2, however the higher bioavailability was found in nº 3. The meals were present intermediary bioavailability and the menus demonstrated to be inadequate in its majority for pregnant women. It was possible to observe that it is not a matter of high frequency of iron that will result in a higher ingestion and absorption, because it is all related to its bioavailability in the meal.