Around the world, about 2 billion people lack enough iron in their diets, leading to serious health problems such as anemia, slower brain development in children, and higher risks of infant death.
Now, MIT scientists have developed an innovative way to add iron — and even other vital nutrients — to common foods and drinks, including coffee and tea, without changing their taste.
The method uses tiny crystalline particles called metal-organic frameworks, or MOFs, which can carry iron in a stable form.
These particles, made from iron and food-safe materials, can be mixed into bread, salt, drinks, or other staples. They protect the iron until it reaches the stomach, where it is released for absorption by the body.
“We wanted to create something that works with all kinds of foods around the world, from coffee in the U.S. to bread in Africa or rice in Asia,” said Ana Jaklenec, a senior researcher at MIT’s Koch Institute.
“Our design avoids reacting with the food, so there’s no need to change recipes or flavors.”
Iron fortification has been tried before, but it’s tricky. Iron often reacts with other molecules in food, causing a metallic taste and reducing absorption.
Jaklenec’s lab previously used polymers to wrap iron, which helped but added bulk, limiting how much iron could be delivered in each serving.
To solve this, MIT postdoc Xin Yang developed a new approach: build the iron directly into the MOF structure. MOFs are cage-like frameworks made from metal atoms linked with organic molecules.
They have a high internal surface area, allowing them to carry large amounts of nutrients. In this case, the team used fumaric acid — a safe, food-grade ingredient — as the organic component.
This design keeps iron from binding with compounds such as polyphenols in foods like tea, coffee, grains, and nuts. Such binding normally blocks absorption, but the MOF remains intact until it reaches the stomach’s acidic environment, where it breaks down and releases the iron.
The team also loaded the same particles with iodine, an essential nutrient commonly added to salt to prevent deficiencies.
Delivering iodine and iron together is difficult because they can react and reduce each other’s effectiveness. But in the MOF structure, the two stay separated until digestion, making “double-fortified” products possible.
The particles, called NuMOFs, proved stable during storage, in high heat and humidity, and even in boiling water. Tests in mice showed that both nutrients entered the bloodstream within hours.
The researchers are now working to launch a company producing fortified coffee and other beverages, and they hope to develop double-fortified salt for global use.
If successful, their innovation could quietly and effectively combat nutrient deficiencies on a worldwide scale — one cup, slice, or sprinkle at a time.
If you care about health, please read studies about why beetroot juice could help lower blood pressure in older adults, and potassium may be key to lowering blood pressure.
For more health information, please see recent studies about rosemary compound that could fight Alzheimer’s disease, and too much of this vitamin B may harm heart health.
