New Scientist - USA (2020-07-25)

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The magnet will attract a black fuzz of iron.
Move the magnet over the surface of the bag or
blender and the tiny pieces of iron will follow it.

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The black stuff really is iron in your cereal – the
same stuff that is found in nails and trains and
motorbikes. And it’s quite heavy, which is why you
need to make sure you run your magnet along
the bottom of the cup. The iron is added to the
mix when the cereals are being made and you
really do eat it when you devour your cornflakes.

The reason it is added in a form that you can
extract is that iron ions (iron that would more
easily combine with other molecules in the cereal)
would increase the spoilage rate of the food. Using
iron in its pure metal form gives the cereal a
longer shelflife. The hydrochloric acid and other
chemicals in your stomach dissolve some of this
iron and it is absorbed through your digestive
tract, although much of it remains untouched
and comes out in the loo.

Humans need iron for many important bodily
functions. Red blood cells carry haemoglobin, of
which iron is a key constituent. Haemoglobin
transports oxygen through the blood to the rest
of the body by binding oxygen to its iron atom
and carrying it through the bloodstream. As our
red blood cells are being replaced constantly,
iron is an essential part of our diet.

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