Selenium-Enriched Sprouts. A Raw Material for Fortified Cereal-Based Diets

Abstract

The selenium supply in almost all European countries, including Austria and Germany, is below the recommended daily intake. In these countries, selenium fortification of foods and the use of selenium supplements are quite popular to compensate for low Se intake from diets. In general, wheat (Triticum aestivum) is known to be a good source for bioavailable selenium, and many studies have been performed to enrich selenium in wheat by selenium fertilization of the soil. In the present work, the process of sprouting was investigated as an alternative to enrich selenium in wheat. Sprouting was chosen because it additionally improves the nutritional value of seeds, for example, by a higher vitamin content, a better quality of protein, and some other parameters. Wheat, alfalfa (Medicago sativa), and sunflower (Helianthus annuus) seeds were germinated for 5 and 7 days in solutions containing selenate. The selenium sensitivity of the sprouts was tested by measuring visible germination levels and seedling development. Uptake rates were studied by determination of total selenium using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Metabolism of the absorbed selenium was analyzed by determination of selenium species in extracts of the sprouts using anion exchange HPLC coupled to ICP-MS. It was shown that sunflower sprouts were the most resistant and had the highest uptake rates (up to 900 mg/kg), but almost 100% of the selenium was extracted with water and found to be nonmetabolized selenate. Wheat and alfalfa were less resistant and enriched selenium up to concentrations of 100 and 150 mg of Se/kg of dry mass, respectively. The metabolism of the selenate was inversely related to the total uptake rates. At low Se enrichment (approximately 1-2 mg of Se/kg), <20% of the total selenium content within the sprouts remained as inorganic selenium, indicating a high metabolism rate. With increasing uptake the amount of selenate increased to approximately 40-50%. However, with the method used it is possible to produce sprouts containing certain amounts of selenium, which might provide substantial proportions of bioavailable selenium. In combination with the generally high nutritional value of sprouts, they might serve for production of improved cereal-based diets.

Influence of selenium supplementation on fatty acids profile and biological activity of four edible amaranth sprouts as new kind of functional food

“…The dose of 30 mg/l was determined too high for all the assessed amaranth sprouts; an apparent reduction in seedling development for such selenium dose was observed, and sprouts started dying on the third day after sowing. Similar observations were made by Lintschinger et al (2000), still, the opposite results were also noted by Carlson et al (1989) who determined the influence of various selenium (as a selenate or selenite (1,2,4,8,16, and 32 mg Se/l)) doses for 2-4 days on the growth in cabbage, lettuce, radish, sorghum, turnip and wheat. They also found selenium not to affect investigated seeds germination at concentrations up to 32 mg of Se /l.…”

“…The eight edible seeds of alfalfa, barley, millet, oat, pea, rye, sunflower, and wheat were germinated by Lintschinger et al (2000) in order to find the best food products, likely to be implementable into daily nutrition schemes. Unfortunately, barley, millet, oat, pea, rye sprouts showed a major reduction of germination rates with selenium doses present.…”

“…According to Lintschinger et al (2000), almost all European countries are classified as low-selenium regions. It is well known that this trace element content in daily diet depends mainly on selenium concentration in soil.…”

“…Large differences in selenium concentrations in soil between European countries cause significant differences in respective selenium daily intake to occur (Sirichakwal et al 2005). In order to improve selenium related nutritional status, soil enrichment or supplementation are applied (Lintschinger et al 2000). Several plants, such as Allium vegetables, i.e.…”

Optimization of a Chemical Modifier in the Determination of Selenium by Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry and Its Application to Wheat and Wheat Flour Analysis

“…Also, neutron activation analysis, 23,24 voltammetry, [25][26][27] inductively coupled plasma atomic emission and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry [28][29][30] have been reported over the years.…”