Selenium Biofortification in Rice - A pragmatic perspective

Abstract

Selenium is an antioxidant trace mineral with important biochemical functions related to the enzymatic activity of selenoproteins. Due to a wide variation in the content of selenium from different plant sources, there is a high risk of deficiency of this nutrient in human nutrition, and particularly in the early childhood. Thus, the use of biofortified staple foods, namely selenium rice flour can be understood as an important trait, namely for food production for infants. This study aims to evaluate the importance of selenium biofortified rice flour, further considering baby foods.

Effect of Rice Grain (Oryza sativa L.) Enrichment with Selenium on Foliar Leaf Gas Exchanges and Accumulation of Nutrients

“…Thus, through agronomic biofortification it is possible to increase the intake of Se by humans, due to the Se enrichment of main food crops such as rice [ 14 , 17 , 18 , 19 ] wheat [ 2 , 20 ] potato [ 21 ] and lettuce [ 16 ], for example. Selenium is also beneficial in defending plants against oxidative stress caused by oxygen radicals produced by internal metabolic or external factors [ 22 ] also delaying the effects of senescence at appropriate levels.…”