Lysine-fortified wheat flour improves the nutritional and immunological status of wheat-eating families in northern China.
The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of the fortification of wheat flour with lysine on selected health indicators among farm families obtaining 58% to 67% of their dietary protein from wheat. A man, a woman, and a child aged 5 to 12 years were studied from each of 88 families in a village near Huixian City, Henan Province, China. Half of the families received wheat flour fortified with 3 g of lysine per kilogram for three months, and the other half received wheat flour without fortification. The results showed a significantly greater gain in the height and weight of children receiving lysine-fortified wheat flour. Hemoglobin values were not affected. The mean prealbumin values of adult men and women were higher in those receiving lysine. The numbers of CD3 T cells increased significantly in women and children, as did the complement fraction C3 and IgG in men, IgA in women, and IgG, IgA, IgM, and C3 in children. These results indicate that lysine fortification of wheat flour can significantly improve some indicators of the nutritional status and immune function of family members consuming a wheat-based diet.