Biology Is Love

  Phytic acid and its utilization by vitamin D3,  Calcium, Phosphorous -Eishika Das Introduction:  Phytic acid (myo-inositol 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexakis dihydrogen phosphate), an organic phosphate, is a phosphorylated cyclic sugar alcohol (Figure 1). The anion form of phytic acid, phytate, is the form present in all plants. Phytate in plants is usually chelated with cations, proteins and/or starches and this chelated form is called phytin . Plant roots contain low amounts of phytin, and the compound is present, if at all, only in trace amounts in the vegetative parts of plants such as the leaves.  In mature seeds, phytic acid is present as a complex salt of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), potassium and possibly protein and starch and this complexed or chelated molecule is known as Phytin (Figure 2). Location & composition:    The presence of phytin within seeds differs among different plants. 90% of the phytin in corn is found in the germ portion of the kernel, w...