Enhancing organic selenium content and antioxidant activities of soy sauce using nano-selenium during soybean soaking

Abstract

Nano-selenium has a greater potential than inorganic selenium in preventing selenium-deficiency diseases due to its higher safety. In this study, spherical nano-selenium particles (53.8 nm) were prepared using sodium selenite, ascorbic acid and chitosan. Selenium-enriched soy sauces were prepared by soaking soybean in nano-selenium and sodium selenite solutions (2–10 mg/L), respectively. Total selenium and organic selenium contents of soy sauces prepared by nano-selenium and sodium selenite were increased by 32–191-fold and 29–173-fold compared to the control (without selenium), and organic selenium accounted for over 90% of total selenium. Soy sauce prepared using 6 mg/L nano-selenium had the strongest antioxidant activities, which were 9.25–28.02% higher than the control. Nano-selenium (6 mg/L) markedly enhanced the koji's enzyme activities (9.76–33.59%), then the latter promoted the release of total phenolics (27.54%), total flavonoids (27.27%) and the formation of free amino acids (16.19%), Maillard reaction products (24.50%), finally the antioxidant activities of selenium-enriched soy sauce were enhanced.

Emerging roles of selenium on metabolism and type 2 diabetes

“…Hence, scientific works have dealt with selenium-biofortification strategies to obtain selenium-enriched food or feed, via plant cultivation (soil fertilization with inorganic selenium), animal feeding (with selenium-enriched plants), microorganism transformation (fermentation) ( 34 , 35 ). Asides from the classical methods, pharmacological products and nano-selenium applications can also increase the selenium concentration in the human body ( 36 , 37 ).…”

“…In addition, nano-selenium attracts growing attention due to its high chemical stability, biocompatibility, and low toxicity ( 42 , 43 ). Nano-selenium has been applied as antioxidants, dietary supplements, antidiabetic agents ( 37 , 44 ).…”

Trends and recent progresses of selenium nanoparticles as novel autophagy regulators for therapeutic development

“…Zhang et al ( 31 ) reported that encapsulation of selenium in chitosan nanoparticles could improve selenium availability and protect cells from selenium-induced DNA damage response, which indicated the higher safety, lower toxicity, higher bioavailability of Se NPs compared the organic and inorganic selenium compounds. Chen et al ( 30 ) demonstrated the higher bioavailability of Se NPs, and moreover, they also found that Se NPs showed stronger antioxidant activities compared with selenium compounds. Additionally, Se NPs have also been reported to show similar or enhanced activities against diseased cells than Se compounds, but show reduced cytotoxicity against normal cells ( 32 ).…”

“…Nanotechnology has been developed rapidly in the past few decades, which brings novel possibilities for disease treatment. Selenium nanoparticles (Se NPs) have attracted extensive attentions for the application of selenium-based products due to their advantages, including higher safety, lower toxicity, higher bioavailability and stronger free radical scavenging ability and antioxidant activities compared to selenium element ( 27 – 30 ). Zhang et al ( 31 ) reported that encapsulation of selenium in chitosan nanoparticles could improve selenium availability and protect cells from selenium-induced DNA damage response, which indicated the higher safety, lower toxicity, higher bioavailability of Se NPs compared the organic and inorganic selenium compounds.…”

Advances in the study of selenium and human intestinal bacteria

“…The organic form of selenium (selenomethionine) has higher bioavailability and lower toxicity than its inorganic form (sodium selenite). In addition, selenium nanoparticles prepared from sodium selenite, ascorbic acid and chitosan, added to soy sauce, can enhance the antioxidant activity of soy sauce ( 9 ). Studies have shown that the biosynthesis of organic selenium can be accomplished by whole-cell biotransformation using sodium selenite under controlled Bifidobacterium bifidum BGN4 culture conditions, with a maximum organic selenium content of 207.5 μg/g in Bifidobacterium selenium -enriched BGN4 ( 10 ).…”