Bioavailability of Phytic Acid Phosphorus in Processed Vicia faba L. Var. Major

An experimental animal model was used to investigate whether processing improved the nutritive utilization of phytic acid phosphorus in faba beans. Phytic acid had been considered an antinutritional factor because of its ability of chelate minerals and impede their absorption and because of the limited capacity of monogastric species to hydrolyze and utilize phosphorus from this molecule. This is of particular significance in legumes, where a large portion of phosphorus is in the form of phytic acid. Heating and soaking in acid solution followed by cooking led to large decreases in phytic acid. Soaking reduced phosphorus content (15.4%). Processing made part of the phytic acid phosphorus available, as suggested by our finding that absorbed P was greater than P from sources other than phytic acid. The lower phosphorus content in bone and blood in rats led to a significantly lower phosphorus balance in animals fed faba beans.