Iron-fortified food composition

1. A composition for fortifying food and/or beverages, the composition comprising a complex, the complex comprising Fe(III), phytic acid, hydrolysed protein and an acidity regulator.

2. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the acidity regulator is selected from the group consisting of ammonium hydroxide ammonium carbonate, ammonium phosphate dibasic, ammonium sodium phosphate dibasic, triammonium phosphate, and mixtures thereof.

3. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrolysed protein is protein hydrolysed to at least 10 w/w %.

4. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the composition is an aqueous solution or a water-soluble solid.

5. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein

(a) the mass ratio of the phytic acid to the Fe(III) is about 0.5:1 to about 125:1;

(b) the mass ratio of the phytic acid to the acidity regulator is about 0.1:1 to about 40:1; and

(c) the mass ratio of the phytic acid to the hydrolysed protein is about 0.5:1 to about 10:1.

6. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrolysed protein is a hydrolysed plant protein.

7. The composition according to claim 1 in a food or beverage product selected from the group consisting of a yoghurt, bouillon, water, seasoning, sauce, milk powder, milk drink, milk-based dessert, pet food, cereal, pasta, noodle and baby food product.

8. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the complex is made by a process comprising mixing an iron source with the phytic acid, the hydrolysed protein and the acidity regulator, wherein the iron source comprises the Fe(III) and is selected from the group consisting of Fe(III) sulphate, Fe(III) citrate, Fe(III) diphosphate, Fe(III) saccharate, Fe(III) sodium diphosphate, Fe(III) choline citrate, Fe(III) ammonium citrate, and Fe(III) chloride.

9. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the composition is free from compounds comprising a carboxylic acid moiety other than those compounds comprised within the hydrolysed protein.

10. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrolysed protein is protein hydrolysed between 70 and 100 w/w %.

11. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrolysed protein comprises at least 10 mg/g of histidine, at least 50 mg/g of arginine, at least 50 mg/g of lysine, at least 30 mg/g of glycine, at least 90 mg/g of aspartic acid, at least 100 mg/g of glutamine, and at least 30 mg/g of proline.

12. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrolysed protein comprises a mixture of free amino acids, free peptides, and non-hydrolysed proteins.

13. The composition according to claim 12 , wherein the amount of free amino acids is selected from the group consisting of

(a) between 15 and 45 wt. %, and

(c) between 65 and 85 wt. %.

14. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein

(a) the mass ratio of the phytic acid to the Fe(III) is between 5 and 10 to 1;

(b) the mass ratio of the phytic acid to the hydrolysed protein is between 1 and 3.5 to 1;

(c) the acidity regulator is ammonium hydroxide added in an amount to adjust the pH to between 6.5 and 7.5; and

(d) the hydrolysed protein is hydrolysed to an extent of greater than 20 w/w %.

15. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the mass ratio of the phytic acid to the Fe(III) is about 0.5:1 to about 125:1.

16. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the mass ratio of the phytic acid to the acidity regulator is about 0.1:1 to about 40:1.

17. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the mass ratio of the phytic acid to the hydrolysed protein is about 0.5:1 to about 10:1.

18. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the molar ratio of the phytic acid to the Fe(III) is about 0.25:1 to about 10:1.

19. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the molar ratio of the phytic acid to the acidity regulator is about 0.005:1 to about 2:1.

20. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the molar ratio of the acidity regulator to the Fe(III) is about 4:1 to about 30:1.