Iron Bioavailability From Fortified Food

This single center trial will be single-blind to the subject, controlled, fully randomized with crossover design in 22 healthy females aged 18-40 years old.

Subjects will attend 8 visits. At screening (V0), 3 consecutive feeding days (V1-V3), 14 days after last stable isotope intake again 3 consecutive feeding days (V4-V6), and 14 days after last stable isotope intake blood sampling (V7).

Inclusion criteria

• Women aged 18-40 years old
• Healthy, based on the medical screening visit including a blood formula
• Normal BMI for age (18.5-25.0 kg/m2)
• Weight less than 65 kg
• Able to understand and to sign written informed consent prior to trial entry
• Informed consent signed

Exclusion criteria

• Anemia or polycythemia respectively evidenced by one of the following criteria from a standard blood formula: number of erythrocytes 4.0 - 5.8 1012/l or Hb 120-160 g/l or Ht 35-55%. Subjects outside of this range will be excluded.
• Significant blood losses over the past 6 months (i.e. trauma, major surgery, blood donation and other causes to be appreciated by the investigator).
• Serum ferritin above 80 µg/L range. As a result, hemochromatosis will be excluded.
• Any therapy or medication taken for any infectious and inflammatory disease in the past two weeks.
• Relevant digestive (intestinal, gastric, hepatic or pancreatic), renal, metabolic disease, as determined by the screening visit and by self-report from the subjects.
• Diagnosed food allergy.
• Pregnancy (tested in plasma at screening) and/or lactation.
• History of cancer within the past year.
• Significant weight loss during the last 3 months (10% and more)
• Any medication or supplement which may impact erythrocytes, Hb or Ht (to the opinion of the investigator).
• Iron supplementation therapy or perfusion in the last three months.
• Smokers (> 5 cigarettes per day).
• Have a high alcohol consumption (more than 2 drinks/day).
• Consumption of illicit drugs (anamnesis only).
• Subject having a hierarchical link with the investigator or co-investigators.
• Subject who cannot be expected to comply with treatment or study procedure.
• Currently participating or having participated in another clinical trial during the past month prior to the beginning of this study.
• Subjects not willing and/or not able to comply with scheduled visits and the requirements of the study protocol.