Mineral-bound caseinate and mineral uptake in cells
What it found
In lab tests on human gut cells, iron and zinc bound to modified caseinate were taken up better than the same minerals in salt form.
Iron bound this way also led to more ferritin, a protein that stores iron, inside the cells.
What they found
Animal and lab studies
Structure changes on binding
Chromatography and fluorescence tests showed the modified caseinate changed shape when iron or zinc attached to it.
Better mineral uptake
In Caco-2 cells, minerals bound to the protein were taken up significantly more than the same minerals given as salts.
More ferritin with bound iron
Iron bound to the modified caseinate led to more ferritin forming in the cells than free iron did.
What the authors conclude
“These mineral bound protein complexes with improved bioavailability could safely replace inorganic fortificants in various functional food formulations.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say these mineral-bound protein complexes, with improved bioavailability, could safely replace inorganic fortificants in various functional food formulations.
How it was done
Milk proteins, especially caseins, are seen as a good way to carry minerals and other active compounds. The authors wanted to see how attaching iron or zinc to a chemically modified caseinate changes its properties and how well the minerals are taken up.
They made succinylated sodium caseinate, a chemically modified milk protein, and bound it to iron or zinc. They then tested how well these mineral-protein complexes were taken up by Caco-2 cells, a lab model of human gut cells, compared with plain mineral salts.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- These are lab tests on Caco-2 cells, a model of human gut cells. They can't show what happens in people.
- The study doesn't show whether these mineral-bound caseinates are safe or how they behave in the human body.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- National Dairy Research Institute, India
The paper
- Title
- Physicochemical characterization of mineral (iron/zinc) bound caseinate and their mineral uptake in Caco-2 cells
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Animals and lab studies
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Shilpashree BG, Arora S, Kapila S, Sharma V (2018). Physicochemical characterization of mineral (iron/zinc) bound caseinate and their mineral uptake in Caco-2 cells. Food chemistry. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.02.157PubMed 29622185DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error