Does boiling affect the bioaccessibility of selenium from cabbage?

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Nutritional Biochemistry
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Selenium is an essential trace element crucial for human health.
• Understanding selenium bioavailability from food sources like cabbage is important for dietary recommendations.
• Bioaccessibility of selenium can be influenced by food processing and matrix effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the bioaccessible selenium species in cabbage using an in vitro physiologically-based extraction test (PBET).
• To determine the impact of food processing (boiling) and digestive enzymes on selenium speciation and bioavailability.
• To analyze selenium species in cabbage grown with varying selenium concentrations.

Main Methods:

• Utilized an in vitro physiologically-based extraction test (PBET) simulating human digestion.
• Employed enzymes like pepsin and pancreatin during the PBET.
• Analyzed selenium speciation in extracts using anionic exchange chromatography coupled with LC-ICP/MS.

Main Results:

• The primary selenium species identified were Se(IV), SeMet, and Se(VI).
• Enzyme activity showed a slight increase in selenocompound concentration, with amylase having no significant effect.
• Boiling cabbage decreased inorganic selenium by up to 4-fold while increasing SeMet release by up to 6-fold.

Conclusions:

• The study successfully characterized bioaccessible selenium species in cabbage.
• Food processing, specifically boiling, significantly alters selenium speciation, enhancing the bioavailability of selenomethionine.
• PBET is a valuable tool for assessing the impact of processing on selenium bioavailability from vegetables.