Effect of iron-fortification process on the stability and iron bioaccessibility of broad bean flours

Iron-fortified flours are traditionally prepared by blending a micronutrient premix with milled flour until a homogeneous mixture is obtained. In this study, an alternative method using vacuum impregnation during the soaking stage was used to obtain iron-fortified broad bean flours. The stability of iron-fortified broad bean flours obtained using vacuum impregnation or conventional addition, as well as the effect of cooking and gastrointestinal digestion on the produced fresh pasta, was evaluated. The results showed that the use of vacuum impregnation to obtain iron-fortified broad bean flours resulted in higher lipid and protein oxidation compared to the conventional method of iron addition. However, it did not significantly affect the stability of the flours as lipid and protein oxidation remained stable during 7 weeks of storage. In addition, vacuum impregnation to fortify the broad bean flour prevented the loss of added iron during cooking and improved its bioaccessibility when making pasta from 100 % broad bean flour. • Iron fortification of broad bean flour by vacuum impregnation increased oxidation. • Iron-fortified broad bean flour by vacuum impregnation stayed stable for 7 weeks. • Iron fortification by vacuum impregnation prevented its loss during cooking. • Iron fortification of broad bean flour improved the bioaccessibility of iron. • Soaking by vacuum impregnation allowed the obtention of iron-fortified flour.