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Department of Food Science, University of Georgia College of Agriculture Experiment Stations, Georgia Station, Experiment, Georgia 30212
Anemic rats were fed diets containing adequate quantities of all required nutrients, except iron, which was supplied by ferrous sulfate and/or corn grain. Diets were supplemented with the inorganic salt and corn in such a pattern that regression of hematological response on increments of ferrous sulfate intake could be calculated for 0, 25%, 50% and 75% dietary corn. Corn was added to the diets at the expense of starch which served only as a source of energy. Slopes of the regression lines for response (hemoglobin iron gain or final hemoglobin concentration) to ferrous sulfate intake were not altered significantly by inclusion of up to 75% corn in the diets. Results indicate that corn does not contain an inhibitor of iron absorption. Poor iron absorption from diets or meals in which corn provides a significant portion of the total food supply is probably due to a nutritional inadequacy of the corn, possibly its amino acid imbalance.
KEY WORDS: corn ferrous sulfate iron absorption hemoglobin regeneration
Manuscript received 15 March 1977.