Indigenous Food Processing Methods That Improve Zinc Absorption and Bioavailability of Plant Diets Consumed by the Kenyan Population (Report‪)‬

INTRODUCTION Zinc deficiency is a public health problem, and is associated with poor growth [1], decreased immune function [2], increased susceptibility to and severity of infections [3-5], adverse outcomes of pregnancy [6], and neurobehavioral abnormalities [7]. Zinc is an essential trace mineral that is a component of over 200 enzymes and is known to be necessary for normal collagen synthesis and mineralization of bones [8-9], and is involved in vital processes such as mitosis, synthesis of DNA and protein, and gene expression and activation [10]. In animals, zinc deficiency has been associated with abnormalities in bone growth, bone formation, and mineralization [11]. In humans zinc deficiency has been associated with poor bone health [12] and low bone mass in women [13-14]. Reduced serum or plasma zinc concentrations and urinary zinc have also been reported in women with osteoporosis [15-18].