High phytate content of rural Iranian bread: a possible cause of human zinc deficiency

Abstract

Phytate concentrations of the unleavened flat bread (tanok or lavosh) prepared from high extraction wheaten meal in Iranian villages are much greater than those of leavened flat breads (bazari or sangak) made in commercial bakeries in cities of the same region. As a result, the phytate intake of the rural population considerably exceeds that of the urban population. Excessive intakes of phytate may explain the occurrence of overt zinc deficiency among villagers and its absence in the cities.