AIM: To investigate effects of iron-fortified foods (FFs) and medicinal iron drops (MD) on iron status in infants. METHODS: Data from one MD and one FF study were compared. Infants were divided into groups depending on the predominant source and amount of dietary iron during 6-9 months of age: MD: Medicinal iron drops (1 mg/kg/day). FF: iron intake >1.3 mg/kg/day, predominantly from FF and no iron supplements. Low iron (LI) group: iron intake <1.3 mg/kg/day and no iron supplements. RESULTS: Mean iron intake did not differ between MD (n = 30) and FF (n = 35) groups but was lower in the LI (n = 232) group. The FF group had significantly higher mean Hb at 9 months compared to the MD and LI groups (120 vs. 115 g/L and 120 vs. 116 g/L, respectively, p < or = 0.005). The MD group had significantly higher mean SF at 9 months compared to the FF and the LI groups (46 vs. 23 microg/L and 46 vs. 26 microg/L, respectively, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that, in healthy, term, nonanaemic 6-9-month-old infants, iron given as medicinal iron drops is primarily deposited into iron stores while iron given as iron-fortified foods is primarily utilized for Hb synthesis.