phytate: Meaning and Definition of

phy•tate

Pronunciation: (fī'tāt), [key]
— n. Chem., Biochem.
  1. a salt or ester of phytic acid, occurring in plants, esp. cereal grains, capable of forming insoluble complexes with calcium, zinc, iron, and other nutrients and interfering with their absorption by the body.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.