Non-Heme Iron Content and Antioxidant Activities of Wistar Rats Fed Aqueous Extract of Elaeis guineensis   (Banga Soup) Cooked Using Different Utensils

Cooking utensils may leach toxic metals or trace elements into food. Iron is an essential nutrient and both iron deficiency and iron excess can affect optimal health. The aim of the study was to determine non-heme iron (NHI) and some antioxidant parameters of rats fed banga soup (BS) prepared using different utensils. Twenty-five Wistar albino rats were used for the study. They were allowed to acclimatize for one week before commencement of the experiment. Group 1 served as control. Rats in Group 2, 3, 4 and 5 were administered BS cooked using cast iron pot (CIP), aluminium pot (AP), blended mixture (BM) of BS and aqueous tween 80 respectively. Rats in Group 1 to 5 received tap water daily and standard laboratory diet (feed) throughout the experiment period of 28 days. There were no significant difference in aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities, albumin (Alb) and total protein (TP) in the serum and liver of the entire experimental Groups. Significant decrease were observed in total phenol content (TPC), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and ascorbic oxidase (AO) activity in the serum and NHI content in the serum, liver and kidney of Group 2, 3 and 4 when compared with Group 1 and 5.