Step 1: Anti-nutritional factors are compounds in food that reduce the absorption or utilization of nutrients.
Step 2: Phytic acid, found widely in pulses and cereals, binds minerals like iron, zinc and calcium into insoluble complexes, lowering their bioavailability. It is one of the classic anti-nutritional factors reported in pulses along with trypsin inhibitors and tannins.
Step 3: Biotin, niacin and pantothenic acid are all B-complex vitamins that the body needs, not compounds that block nutrient absorption. So the correct answer is phytic acid, option 4.