The goal of this study was to develop a rapid method
for determining the iron content of fortified foods.
Supporting objectives were: (1) to develop a safe, simple,
and rapid method that allows for both visual and
spectrophotometric readings; and (2) to validate the
accuracy of this rapid method by comparing it to a
standard laboratory method for iron determination.
The method was adapted from a spectrophotometric
method used in the determination of serum iron concentration
in human blood (International Committee
for Standardization in Hematology, 1978). It measures
the concentration of iron in extracts from foods. Food
samples are heated in an iron-extracting solution, filtered,
and mixed with bathophenanthroline disulfonic
acid. Bathophenanthroline disulfonic acid, in the presence
of a reducing agent,iron to produce a red color (McBride, 1980), thus,
allowing for spectrophotometric or visual readings.