Study of Bioavailability of Ca and Zn in the Flesh of Yellow Terminalia catappa (Linn) Fruits

The analyses of antinutritional and mineral composition of the flesh of yellow fruits variety of Terminal catappa using standard methods were conducted. The results (mg/100g dry sample) are as follows: Total oxalate 1.90, soluble oxalate 1.62, tannin 16.28, phytate 2872.67, saponin 1.495, nitrate 0.64, hydrocyanic acid 4.19, Ca 143.30, Mg 48.50 and Zn 1.42. Bioavailability studies revealed that the oxalate content of the fruit have no effect on Ca availability as Oxalate]/[Ca] and [Oxalate]/[Ca + Mg] are below critical level of 2.5. However, phytate affect both the Ca and Zn bioavailability with [Phytate]/[Ca] and [Ca][Phytate]/[Zn] above critical level of 0.2 and 0.5 respectively.