Vegetable relishes, high in β-carotene, increase the iron, zinc and β-carotene nutritive values from cereal porridges.

Iron, zinc and vitamin A deficiencies are serious public health problems in sub-Saharan Africa, which can be alleviated by dietary diversification. The effects of adding cowpea leaf (CL) and orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) relishes to sorghum and maize porridges on iron, zinc and β-carotene contents and bioaccessibilities were determined. Despite the high iron content of the CL relish (14.59 mg/100 g), the vegetable relishes had little effect on the iron bioaccessibility from the cereal porridges. Importantly, the addition of the CL relish increased the percentage and amount of bioaccessible zinc 2- and 3-fold, respectively. Addition of CL and OFSP relishes resulted in β-carotene contents of 10-13 mg/100 g. The β-carotene from the OFSP relish meals was double as bioaccessible than that from the CL relish meals. Addition of the vegetable relishes has real potential to improve especially the vitamin A and zinc nutritive value of cereal diets.