Mineral Bioaccessibility of Hummus Prepared using Different Lentil Flours

Abstract

Evaluating mineral bioaccessibility in plant-based foods is essential to assess their real nutritional value. Hummus, a legume-based preparation widely consumed and culturally accepted, is a promising vehicle to enhance mineral intake, yet little is known about its micronutrient bioaccessibility. This study evaluated the mineral composition and in vitro bioaccessibility of iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), and calcium (Ca) in hummus prepared from whole brown lentil flour (BH), dehulled brown lentil flour (DBH), and dehulled Turkish red lentil flour (DTH). Potential modulators including phytic acid, total phenolic compounds, dietary fiber, and ascorbic acid were also analysed. Although dehulled flours contained lower Fe and Ca contents, hummus prepared from them showed significantly higher Fe and Ca bioaccessibility compared with BH. This improvement appears to be associated with the reduction in phenolic compounds, despite similar phytic acid levels. In contrast, Zn bioaccessibility was greater in DBH and BH (≈ 20%) than in DTH (15%), likely reflecting varietal differences. Phytic acid: mineral molar ratios were included to estimate the inhibitory potential of phytic acid toward Ca, Fe, and Zn. However, these ratios did not consistently predict mineral bioaccessibility, whereas the ascorbic acid: Fe ratio correlated positively with Fe bioaccessibility. A 250 g portion of hummus contributed modest amounts of minerals relative to daily requirements: DTH provided the highest Fe (0.60 mg), while DBH contributed slightly more Ca (≈ 7.1 mg) and Zn (0.6 mg). Overall, lentil hummus can be considered a food capable of reasonably improving Fe and Zn intake in plant-based diets.