Name(s) Food science, 20 points possible NAILS FOR BREAKFAST Breakfast cereals may be fortified with a variety of vitamins and minerals to ensure a completely balanced nutritional meal. In general, a fortified food contains ingredient(s) that are not normally found in that food in order to achieve a particular dietary purpose. For example, salt is fortified with iodine (or iodized) in order to prevent goiter (Don t know what goiter is, research away!!!). Foods are fortified with iron because it is considered an essential ingredient of the daily diet which must be present for the body to function properly. Approximately 60-70% of the human body s iron is found in hemoglobin, a protein in the blood that transports oxygen. Iron is also present in muscle tissue and some enzymes. OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate iron fortification of breakfast cereals and analyze current eating habits is association to proper iron intake. BACKGROUND RESEARCH: Breakfast cereals are an important source of iron in our diet; in fact, in 1999, Americans consumed an average of 23.6 mg of iron per day, with 53% coming from grains and breakfast cereals. The recommended daily allowance (RDAs) of iron depends on the age and sex of an individual because certain populations require higher amounts of iron, such as children, women before menopause, and pregnant or nursing women. The Daily Value for iron (the value listed on the cereal box) is 18 mg per day. This number is a reference number developed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help consumers determine if a food contains a lot or a little of a specific nutrient. Iron can be added to breakfast cereals in several food-grade forms. Some cereal manufacturers prefer to add particles of pure iron metal (called elemental iron or reduced iron) because elemental iron is stable in storage and does not affect the cereal s flavor. Not all cereals contain the same amount of iron, and this information can be found on the Nutrition Facts panel. To fortify a breakfast cereal, the iron, along with other vitamins and minerals, is first mixed in with the grains, salt, water and, if applicable, other flavoring agents and/or sweeteners. This mixture is then cooked. To create flakes, the cooked grains are flattened between rollers under tons of pressure. Once the flakes are made, the iron is well incorporated into the product and cannot be seen by the consumer. References Federal Studies. 2002. Family Economics & Nutrition Review. 41(2): 90. Belitz, HD and Grosch, W. 1999. Food Chemistry. Berlin: Springer. 992 pgs. Himich Feeland-Graves, J and Peckham, GC. 1996. Foundations of Food Preparation. 6th ed. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall. 750 pgs. JCE Editorial Staff. 2004. A Magnetic Meal. Journal of Chemical Education. 81: 1584A.
CEREAL SOUP: NOW WITH IRON! Materials Required 1 c Honey Nut Cheerios (or comparable cereal) 1 c Frosted Mini Wheats (or comparable cereal) 1 c Total Cereal (or comparable cereal) Mortar and pestle 3-1 qt size Ziplock bags 6 c warm water (2 c per bag) 1 small strong magnet Procedure 1. Measure 1 cup of each cereal and crush separately with a mortar and pestle (you may need to do this in batches) 2. Pour crushed cereal into a labeled quart-size zipper-lock bag. Fill the bag one-half full with warm water. Carefully seal the bag, leaving an air pocket inside. 3. Mix the cereal and the water by gently shaking the bag until the contents become a brown, soupy mixture. Allow the mixtures to sit for approximately 20 minutes. 4. While you are waiting for the mixtures to soak for 20 minutes, begin the Magnetic Crumbs experiment. 5. After the 20 minutes, make sure the bag is tightly sealed and position it on a flat side in the palm of your hand. Place the super-strong magnet on top of the bag. Put your other hand on top of the magnet and flip the whole thing over so the magnet is underneath the bag. Slowly slosh the contents of each bag in a circular motion for 15 or 20 seconds. The idea is to attract any free moving bits of metallic iron in the cereal to the magnet. 6. Use both hands again and flip the bag and magnet over so the magnet is on top. Gently squeeze the bag to lift the magnet a little above the cereal soup. Don't move the magnet just yet. Look closely at the edges of the magnet where it's touching the bag. Dependent on the iron content of the cereal, you may be able to see tiny black specks on the inside of the bag around the edges of the magnet (this is iron!). 7. Keep one end of the magnet touching the bag and move it in little circles. As you do, the iron will gather into a bigger clump and be much easier to see. Record your observations in the chart below. 8. When you're finished, simply pour the soup down the drain and discard the bag. Cereal Observations
MAGNETIC CRUMBS Materials Required 5 g Honey Nut Cheerios (or comparable cereal) 5 g Frosted Mini Wheats (or comparable cereal) 5 g Total Cereal (or comparable cereal) Mortar and pestle 3- Glass, ceramic, or plastic plates (anything but paper) 3/4 c warm water (1/4 c per bag) 1 small strong magnet Procedure 1. Crush each cereal into tiny pieces with the mortar and pestle. Spread out the pile so it forms a single layer of crumbs on the plate. 2. Bring the magnet close to the layer of crumbs (but don't touch any) and see if you can get any of the pieces to move. Take your time. If you get a piece to move without touching it, that piece may contain some metallic iron. 3. Firmly press the magnet directly onto the crumbs but don't move it. Lift it up and look underneath to see if anything is clinging to the magnet. Several little pieces may be stuck there. Discuss if your group believes if the magnet is attracted to static electricity, just sticky cereal, or the iron. 4. Pour water into the plate and float a few flakes on the surface. Hold the magnet close to (but not touching) a flake, and see if the flake moves toward the magnet. (The movement may be very slight, so be patient.) With practice and dependent on the iron content of each cereal, you may pull the flakes across the water, spin them, and even link them together in a chain. Cereal Observations
Concluding Questions 1. What happened when the magnet came in contact with each cereal? What does this tell you about the iron content in each cereal? 2. If iron was present, why don t you normally see it when you eat cereal? 3. Look at the nutrition facts of each cereal. How many grams of iron are in each cereal? What is the %DV (percentage daily value) in 1 serving of each? Cereal Iron (g) %DV 4. What is hemoglobin? How is iron connected to hemoglobin? (2 pt) 5. How much iron do food scientists/nutritionists recommend each day for a healthy adult? 6. What health issues can occur when a diet is deficient in iron? 7. Other than cereal, what food sources can we use to increase our intake of iron? 8. As a group, discuss your estimated iron intake. What foods are you already eating that are high in iron or how can you increase your iron intake? (3 points) (Complete on another sheet of paper and staple to this lab)
RESEARCH HOW DOES IT WORK? Many breakfast cereals are fortified with food-grade iron particles (metallic iron) as a mineral supplement. Total cereal is the only major brand of cereal that claims to contain 100% of your recommended daily allowance of iron. The chemical symbol for iron is Fe. Metallic iron is digested in the stomach and eventually absorbed in the small intestine. If all of the iron from your body was extracted, you'd have enough iron to make only two small nails. Iron is found in a very important component of your blood called hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the compound in red blood cells that carries oxygen from your lungs so that it can be utilized by your body. It's the iron in hemoglobin that gives blood its red appearance. A diet deficient in iron can result in fatigue, reduced resistance to diseases, and increased heart and respiratory rates. Food scientists say that a healthy adult requires about 18 mg of iron each day. So, as you can see, iron is a very important part of what you and your friends and family need to stay healthy. Eat up! Cereal for dinner!