Iron fortification of lentil dal to address iron deficiency
What it found
In lab tests, fortifying lentil dal with iron increased the amount of iron taken up by cells, and NaFeEDTA worked best.
The authors say fortified dal could help people who eat it often and lack iron.
What they found
Animal and lab studies
Iron uptake in cells
In lab tests using cells, the amount of iron taken up from cooked fortified lentil was 32.2 to 36.6% higher than from unfortified cooked lentil. The three fortified samples had similar uptake.
Other findings
Best iron compound
NaFeEDTA was the most suitable iron compound for fortifying red lentil dal. It caused less color change than the other two compounds and provided 13 to 14 mg of extra iron per 100 g of dal at 1600 ppm.
Iron and phytic acid levels
Total iron in cooked lentil ranged from 68.7 to 238.5 ppm, and phytic acid ranged from 7.2 to 8.0 mg per gram. Fortified and unfortified samples differed significantly.
Color and storage
Fortified dal was darker than unfortified dal, but NaFeEDTA caused the least color change. After six months and one year of storage, color changed only slightly.
Cooking time
Fortification did not significantly change the boiling time of lentil dal compared to unfortified dal.
Fortification method
Spraying the dal with the iron solution, shaking it, and drying at 75 °C worked best. This method took the shortest time and caused less color change than other methods.
What the authors conclude
“We conclude that fortification of lentil dal is effective and could provide significant health benefits to dal-consuming populations vulnerable to Fe deficiency.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that fortification of lentil dal is effective and could provide significant health benefits to dal-consuming populations vulnerable to iron deficiency.
- They say that NaFeEDTA was the most suitable iron compound for lentil dal.
- They call for community-based studies and a large human trial to test the fortified lentil in target populations.
How it was done
Iron deficiency is a major health concern in areas where diets are often low in iron. The authors wanted to find a way to add iron to lentil dal, a staple food in South Asia and the Middle East, without changing how people eat.
They tested three iron compounds on red lentil dal, using different amounts and methods of adding the iron. They measured the iron content, color, and how much iron cells could take up from the cooked dal.
What it can’t tell you
- This study used cells in a lab to measure iron uptake, not people. It cannot show how much iron people would actually absorb from fortified dal.
- The authors did not test whether eating fortified dal improves iron status or prevents iron deficiency in people.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- The authors declare no conflict of interest.
- Authors work at
- University of Saskatchewan, Canada; Marywood University, USA
The paper
- Title
- Iron Fortification of Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) to Address Iron Deficiency
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Animals and lab studies
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Podder R, Tar'an B, Tyler RT, Henry CJ, DellaValle DM, Vandenberg A (2017). Iron Fortification of Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) to Address Iron Deficiency. Nutrients. doi:10.3390/nu9080863Free full textPubMed 28800117DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error