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A coffee with iron and iodine to stop malnutrition in the worldIt is the idea that researchers from the Massachusetts Institute (MIT), in the US, who have thought of a new form of “fortify“, both foods and iron drinks through” small crystalline particles “known as metalorganic structures.
As the researchers explain in a note that collects the MIT, these particles would be sprinkled on food, they would be added to basic foods such as bread or could even join drinks such as coffee or tea. In this way, one could in front of iron deficiency They currently suffer worldwide about 2 billion people, stand out.
Sub 2 Billion People Worldwide Suffer from Iron Deficiety, Which Can Lead to anemia, Impaired Brain Development, and Infant Mortality. But Now Researchers have come up with a new way to fortify foods and beverages with Iron, Using Microparticles. https://t.co/sta4cxSVPQ
– Massachusetts Institute of Technology (mit) (@Mmit) August 14, 2025
For Ana Jaklenec, principal researcher at the Koch Institute for integral MIT cancer research, it is “a solution that can be easily incorporated into basic foods in different regions.” These particles, in addition, would not react with food, this means that “We do not have to reformulate it for each context; It can be incorporated into a wide range of food and drinks Without compromising quality”
In addition to iron, these particles are also designed to transport iodine. And, in the same way, they ensure that they could adapt to also transport minerals such as zinc, calcium or magnesium.
Researchers have shown “very excited about this new approach And with what we believe is a novel application of the metalorganic frames for Potentially improve nutritionin particular in the developing world “, as Robert Langer, professor of the David H. Koch del MIT Institute and a member of the Koch Institute.
They have achieved it
Resorting to food fortification is a good option to deal with a nutritional deficiency, however, researchers explain that it is a complex process which can cause food to have a metallic flavor. Encapsulating polymers would help facilitate the process by protecting them from their decomposition or the reaction with other molecules, as demonstrated by the Jaklenec team in other works.
But another problem arises: “Iron in polymers significantly improves its stability and reactivity, which facilitates its incorporation into food,” he explains. “But to be effective, Requires a considerable amount of polymer. This limits the amount of iron that can be contributed in a typical ration, which It makes it difficult to achieve daily nutritional objectives only with fortified foods. ”
To save this situation, Xin Yang, postdoctoral researcher of the MIT, and Linzixuan (Rhoda) Zhang, thought of using iron as a basic component of a crystalline particle known as metalorganic structure or MOF (pronounced “Moff”). “We think we could synthesize a metalorganic structure with ligand and micronutrients of food degree“, he indicates.
“Metalorganic structures have a very high porosity, so They can transport a lot of material. That is why we think we could take advantage of this platform to create a new metalorganic structure that could be used in the food industry, “he adds.
The study, published in The magazine Matterthus designed a Iron MOF linked to a ligand (Metal atoms united by organic molecules that form MOF) called fumaric acid that is usually used as a food additive for food conservation or to improve its flavor. In this way, iron does not react with compounds such as polyphenols, present in drinks such as coffee, and mof They can remain stable until they reach the stomachwhere they finally break down and release that burden of iron.
The researchers, who also managed to include iodine in their MOF (Numof) particle, are currently working on the launch of a company to develop coffee and other fortified drinks with iron and iodineand they hope to continue working on a doublely fortified That it is possible to consume alone or incorporating it into basic foods.
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