Iron Bioavailability: A Comparative Study of Plant-Based and Animal-Based Burgers

Anemia is globally linked to dietary iron deficiency, potentially concerned by a shift from meat-based diets to plant-based ones with less bioavailable non-heme iron. This study compared the iron bioavailability of two commercial plant-based burgers (PBB1 and PBB2) with that of an animal-based burger (ABB). PBB1 and PBB2 contain 2.37 mg and 2.45 mg, respectively, while ABB contained 1.6 mg of iron per 100 g. The iron bioavailability (ng ferritin/mg protein) of PBB2 (5.98 ± 0.41) and PBB1 (4.70 ± 0.33) was higher than ABB (4.05 ± 0.29) as determined using a Caco-2 cell model. The main inhibitors and enhancers of iron bioavailability were also investigated. Phenolic compounds were found to increase iron bioavailability in the PBBs, suggesting they may not always act as antinutritional factors. Phytic acid content had no significant impact on iron bioavailability. There was a positive correlation between the antioxidant properties of the digested burgers and iron bioavailability. These findings suggest that PBBs can match or exceed the iron bioavailability of ABB, offering potential solutions for global nutritional challenges.