Iron and magnesium concentrations of mint accessions (Mentha spp.)

Plant foods can contribute significantly to human nutrition and health, because they contain almost all essential human nutrients. However, nutrient composition varies among different plant foods. Improvement of nutritional quality of our food supply, especially with respect to essential nutrient minerals, such as magnesium, iron and zinc, could be an important goal of vegetable crops. There is little information available on essential mineral concentration of mint (Mentha spp.). This study was conducted to evaluate some micronutrient minerals of twelve Iranian mint accessions, three of which belonging to Mentha longifolia (Mzin5, Mzin6 and Mzin 11) and the remaining were Mentha spicata L species (Mzin1, Mzin2, Mzin3, Mzin4, Mzin7, Mzin8, Mzin9, Mzin 10, and Mzin 12). This report is assigned to two essential human nutrients, iron (Fe) and magnesium (ML,) concentrations of two mint herbage harvests in 12 mint clones within each of two studied years. Results of analysis of variance indicated a significant difference among accessions and a non-significant difference between species for Mg and Fe concentrations. Mean comparisons showed that Mzin2, Mzin 12 (both belong to M. spicata) and Mzin6 (belongs to M. longifolia) possess the highest Fe concentration. Furthermore. Mzins 5, 6 and 11 belong to M. longifolia as well as Mzins 2 and 10 belong to M. spicata did not significantly differ and all included the first ranking group for Mg concentration. Fe concentration averaged on the first harvest ranged from 134 mg/kg for Mzin4 genotype (belongs to M. spicata) to 210 mg/kg to for Mzin5 genotype (belongs to M. long folia), while Fe concentration at the second harvest varied from 315 mg/kg for Mzin1 to 582 mg/kg for Mzin12. At the first harvest, Mg concentration ranged from 748 mg/kg for Win I to 1174 for Mzin5. At the second harvest, Mg concentration varied from 1171 mg/kg for Mzin9 to 1618 mg/kg for Mzin11. It is hence concluded that the magnesium and iron concentrations of Mentha species are comparable to those reported for other leafy vegetable crops. Therefore, this is evidence that this herb is rich in some essential nutrient minerals, especially Fe and Mg which are essential for human health. (C) 2007 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.