Abstract
The bioavailability of Ca and Zn in a whey mineral complex (WMC) prepared from acid casein whey was determined in rats by slope ratio assay methods. Diets containing graded levels of Ca (45-215 mg/100 g) as WMC or CaCO₃ were fed to groups of 6 weanling rats for 27 days. Bioavailability of Ca in WMC relative to CaCO₃ was determined from the ratio of the slopes of the linear regressions for femur and tibia Ca on Ca intake. The relative bioavailability of Ca in CaCO₃ was 0.88-0.97. For assay of Zn bioavailability, diets containing graded levels of Zn (1.2-7.7 mg/kg) as WMC or ZnSO₄ were fed to groups of 6 weanling rats for 19 days. Relative bioavailability of Zn in WMC was 0.87-0.91, as determined from the ratio of the slopes of the linear regressions for weight gain and tibia Zn on Zn intake. The high bioavailability of Ca and Zn in WMC indicates that this complex may be suitable for use as a dietary mineral supplement.
| Original language | English (Ireland) |
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| Pages (from-to) | 41-51 |
| Journal | Irish Journal of Food Science and Technology |
| Volume | 12 |
| Publication status | Published - Dec 1988 |