Dimetalhydroxy malate fortified food matrices

1. A mineral fortified food matrix, comprising:

a dimetalhydroxy malate composition; and

a food matrix fortified with the dimetalhydroxy malate composition.

2. A mineral fortified food matrix as in claim 1 , wherein the dimetalhydroxy malate composition is a dicalciumhydroxy malate having the structure:

3. A mineral fortified food matrix as in claim 2 , wherein the food matrix is further fortified by a second nutritionally relevant metal source.

4. A mineral fortified food matrix as in claim 3 , wherein the second nutritionally relevant metal source is an iron source.

5. A mineral fortified food matrix as in claim 4 , wherein the iron source is an iron amino acid chelate.

6. A mineral fortified food matrix as in claim 1 , wherein the food matrix is a natural cereal grain.

7. A mineral fortified food matrix as in claim 1 , wherein the food matrix is a processed cereal grain.

8. A mineral fortified food matrix as in claim 1 , wherein the food matrix is a beverage.

9. A mineral fortified food matrix as in claim 1 , wherein the food matrix is a dry beverage mix.

10. A mineral fortified food matrix as in claim 1 , wherein the food matrix is an oleaginous or dairy product.

11. A mineral fortified food matrix as in claim 1 , wherein each metal of the dimetalhydroxy malate is independently a nutritionally relevant metal selected from the group consisting of copper, zinc, manganese, iron, magnesium, calcium, and combinations thereof.

12. A method of administering a mineral in a bioavailable form to a warm-blooded animal, comprising:

fortifying a food matrix with a dimetalhydroxy malate composition; and

orally administering the food matrix fortified with the dimetalhydroxy malate composition to a warm-blooded animal.

13. A method as in claim 12 , wherein the dimetalhydroxy malate composition is a dicalciumhydroxy malate composition having the structure:

14. A method as in claim 12 , further comprising the step of fortifying the food matrix with a second nutritionally relevant metal source prior to administering.

15. A method as in claim 14 , wherein the second nutritionally relevant metal source is an iron source.

16. A method as in claim 15 , wherein the iron source is an iron amino acid chelate.

17. A method as in claim 12 , wherein the food matrix is selected from the group consisting of natural cereal grains, processed cereal grains, energy bars, beverages, dry beverage mixes, oleaginous foods, and dairy products.

18. A method as in claim 12 , wherein each metal of the dimetalhydroxy malate is independently a nutritionally relevant metal selected from the group consisting of copper, zinc, manganese, iron, magnesium, calcium, and combinations thereof.

19. A calcium fortified food matrix, comprising:

a dicalciumhydroxy malate composition having the structure:

a food matrix fortified with the dicalciumhydroxy malate composition.

20. A calcium fortified food matrix as in claim 19 , wherein the food matrix is further fortified with an iron amino acid chelate.

21. A method of administering calcium in a bioavailable form to a warm-blooded animal, comprising:

fortifying a food matrix with a dicalciumhydroxy malate composition having the structure:

orally administering the food matrix fortified with the dicalciumhydroxy malate composition to a warm-blooded animal.

22. A method as in claim 21 , further comprising the step of fortifying the food matrix with an iron amino acid chelate prior to administering.