Selenium in storage proteins of wheat cultivated on selenium impacted soils of Punjab, India

Abstract

Wheat, an important staple cereal crop cultivated in seleniferous region of India, noted to accumulated signifi cantly high concentrations of Se, was examined for the distribution of selenium in various protein fractions of the grains. Amongst the protein fractions, Se was dominantly (33-37%) present in the albumin fraction in Se rich grains followed by other fractions viz., globulin (20-25%), glutelin (20-25%), and prolamin (17-20%). The observations are important in context of exploring the use of this material as functional foods in formulating Se-enriched diets for Se-defi cient population.

Quantification and In Vitro Bioaccessibility of Selenium from Osborne Fractions of Selenium‐Rich Cereal Grains

“…A multiple comparison test showed significant variation (P < 0.05) in selenium levels across grains but not significant across proteins. Nearly similar observations were also obtained in wheat crop samples obtained from other locations in the seleniferous belt (Jaiswal et al 2015). Correspondingly, selenium levels in the residual starch were below detectable limits with respect to the presence of 2,3dihydroxypropionyl-selenolanthione (m/z 345), hexose moiety (m/z 317 and m/z 358), and hexose pentose moiety (m/z 407 and m/z 408) as selenosugars in cereal grains (Aureli et al 2012).…”

“…The amounts of various Osborne fractions with reference to percentage of total protein and selenium concentration are given in Table I. Nearly similar observations were also obtained in wheat crop samples obtained from other locations in the seleniferous belt (Jaiswal et al 2015). Prolamin was observed to contribute significant selenium levels despite being the lowest among all protein fractions across all grains (Fig.…”

“…2). The selenium levels in the nonseleniferous area under study also indicated moderately higher levels when compared with global averages (Jaiswal et al 2015). Selenium concentration in most of the world's wheat ranges between 0.02 and 0.6 µg/g (Alfthan and Neve 1996).…”