Use of shallot (Allium ascalonicum) and leek (Allium tuberosum) to improve the in vitro available iron and zinc from cereals and legumes

In this work, the effects of shallot and leek added to food grains on the available iron and zinc (in vitro) were examined. Two representative cereals and pulses were studied in both raw and cooked condition employing two levels of shallot (25 and 50 g/kg of grain) and leek (150 and 300 g/kg of grain). The enhancing effect of these two spices on in vitro available iron was generally evidenced in the cereals (10.6-67.2% increase) and pulses (11.0-37.8% increase) in both raw and cooked conditions. The two spices similarly enhanced the in vitro available zinc from the food grains, the extent of increase in cereals ranging from 12.4% to 86.1% and in pulses from 9.0% to 45.5%. Thus, both shallot and leek were evidenced here to have a promoting influence on the in vitro available iron and zinc from food grains.