Analysis of different selenium species in vegetables

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Analysis of different selenium species in vegetables

Selenium-biofortified foods can compensate for selenium deficient diets, but the proportion of selenium species may vary among plant species and their bioavailability may also be different. Researchers of the Institute for Soil Sciences - Centre for Agricultural Research - HUN-REN, in cooperation with colleagues from the University of Debrecen, Agricultural Institute - Centre for Agricultural Research - HUN-REN, Institute of Aquatic Ecology - Centre for Ecological Research - HUN-REN, and Josip Juraj Strossmayer University in Osijek, investigated the composition of the selenium forms of four selenium-enriched vegetables: cabbage, carrots, tomatoes and green peas grown on different soil types.

Cabbage leaves and carrot roots contained inorganic selenium in the highest proportion. The highest proportion of organic species (selenomethionine) was found in tomato fruit and green pea seeds, in which elemental Se was also detectable. The selenium content found in 100 g of fresh edible plant parts was the highest in cabbage leaves, but tomatoes converted the inorganic selenium to organic in the highest ratio, while green peas had the highest amount of organic selenium in 100 g of fresh biomass. The selenium content of the investigated vegetables increased without a significant reduction in biomass, so they may be well adapted to soils with higher selenium content.

The results were published in the D1 journal Plant and Soil:

Ragályi P., Takács T., Soós Á., Kovács B., Dernovics M., Lončarić Z., Dobosy P., Záray G., Rékási M. 2023. Quantitative analysis of selenium species in the edible parts of cabbage, carrot, tomato and green pea treated with selenate-enriched irrigation water. Plant Soil. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-023-06365-0