MIT scientists create new fortification method to combat global nutrient deficiency

MIT researchers have come up with a new way to fortify foods and beverages with iron or iodine, using small crystalline particles. The particles could be sprinkled on food drinks including bread and coffee.

Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed a new nutrient fortification method using small crystalline particles, called metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), to deliver essential nutrients such as iron and iodine in foods and drinks.

With around two billion people worldwide suffering from iron deficiency, which can lead to anaemia, impaired brain development in children and higher infant mortality, this solution from MIT could address a major global issue.

Ana Jaklenec, senior author and principal investigator at MIT’s Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, said:

We’re creating a solution that can be seamlessly added to staple foods across different regions.

What’s considered a staple in Senegal isn’t the same as in India or the US, so our goal was to develop something that doesn’t react with the food itself. That way, we don’t have to reformulate for every context. It can be incorporated into a wide range of foods and beverages without compromise.”

Unlike conventional iron fortification, which can create a metallic taste and degrade during storage or cooking, the MOFs in this study remain stable until they reach the stomach, where they release their iron or iodine payload. The particles can also be adapted to deliver other necessary minerals such as zinc, calcium or magnesium.

Robert Langer, senior author and David H. Koch Institute Professor at MIT, added:

We are very excited about this new approach and what we believe is a novel application of metal-organic frameworks to potentially advance nutrition, particularly in the developing world.”

Iron stabilisation

Previous research from Jaklenec’s lab encapsulated iron in polymers to protect it from degradation. A small clinical trial found that women who ate bread fortified with encapsulated iron absorbed the nutrient successfully. However, polymers add bulk, restricting how much iron or other nutrients a typical serving can deliver.

To overcome this, lead author Xin Yang designed a MOF using iron as a building block bound to fumaric acid, a common food additive that enhances flavour and preserves food. This structure prevents iron from reacting with polyphenols found in foods such as whole grains, nuts, coffee and tea, which would otherwise reduce absorption.

Yang explained:

We thought maybe we could synthesise a metal-organic framework with food-grade ligands and food-grade micronutrients.

Metal-organic frameworks have very high porosity, so they can load a lot of cargo. That’s why we thought we could leverage this platform to make a new metal-organic framework that could be used in the food industry.”

Double-fortification breakthrough

The researchers also incorporated iodine into their MOF particle, called NuMOF. While iodised salt has been very successful at preventing iodine deficiency, creating “double-fortified” products with iron and iodine has been difficult because the two nutrients can react, reducing absorption. The MIT team demonstrated that their iron-containing MOFs can carry iodine without the two minerals interfering with each other.

Tests showed the particles remain stable under long-term storage, high heat, humidity and boiling water, maintaining their structure. In mice, the NuMOF particles released iron and iodine into the bloodstream within hours of consumption.

The researchers are now developing coffee and other beverages fortified with iron and iodine and aim to create a double-fortified salt suitable for standalone use or incorporation into staple foods.