Iron‐Fortified Spiced Vinegar “Suka”: A Novel Approach to Address Iron Deficiency in the Philippines
Authors: Lopez Emely Cristina , Gaur Shashank , Engeseth Nicki Jene , Nielsen Christine , Helferich William George 
Published: November 2023

Background

Iron deficiency Anemia (IDA) is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in the Philippines, affecting more than 50% of vulnerable groups such as women of reproductive age and children under 5 y. Fortification initiatives are present in the Philippines, but the effects have been slow and not lasting. Fortification of condiments and sauces (e.g., soy and fish sauce) has shown potential success in China and Vietnam. Although spiced vinegar (SV) is the most consumed condiment in The Philippines, there is no technical evidence of its potential to reduce IDA. SV from coconut and sugarcane is highly consumed across all socio‐economic groups. In this study, chemical and sensory characterization of suka fortified with different forms of iron are presented.

Methods

SV for fortification was selected based on those vinegars most available, accessible and widely consumed in Negros Island. SV from coconut was fortified with ferrous sulfate (SV‐FS), ferrous fumarate (SV‐FF), or NaFeEDTA (SV‐EDTA) at 0.2 mg Fe per mL of vinegar (~25% RENI in a 15 mL portion size according to the Philippines food regulations). A non‐Fortified (SV‐NF) vinegar served as control. Fortificants were added directly to SV and vortexed for 5 minutes. Analyses were conducted immediately after fortification (baseline) and repeated at 30, 60, 90 and 120 days after fortification. Iron content was measured by the Ferrozine spectrophotometric method. Consumer acceptability was conducted with women (n=27) and college students (n=96; Bago City College) living in Negros Island. Samples were stored for 1 month before test, and analyzed with a 9‐point hedonic scale based on color, appearance, aroma, sourness, and overall acceptability. Additionally, the demographic characteristics of the subjects were recorded (i.e., family members, age, occupation, location for SV acquisition, frequency and form of consumption, preferred vinegar type, and food products consumed on a daily basis).

Results

SV‐FS and SV‐FF darkened the most after 30 days of storage compared to the control (p<0.05). Iron content of samples did not change over 120 days. Demographic results indicated high prevalence (98%) of vinegar consumption. 41% of the women incorporated it in their meals on a daily basis, and 45% of women and students consumed SV at least 3 times/week. Appearance and color were the main factors for differences between samples. For all populations, the acceptability of SV‐EDTA was high and not different (p>0.05) than control for all attributes studied. SV‐FS and SV‐FF were reported different than SV‐NF and SV‐EDTA in terms of appearance, sourness, color and overall acceptability among students (p<0.05). Women reported no difference in overall acceptability and aroma for all the samples. Overall, SV‐EDTA was the most acceptable fortified vinegar.

Conclusion

Appearance and color were the most important sensory attributes for panelist. Fortification with SV‐EDTA was technically feasible and can potentiate its use in addressing IDA in vulnerable populations.

Support or Funding Information

Robert and Barbara Ayre Fellowship ‐ ACES College at the University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign and New Pathways to Enterprise, Philippines