Potential intake of selenium by the inhabitants of different regions in Jordan

Abstract

The margin between a deficient (∼0.02mg day‐1), an adequate (∼0.2mg day‐1) and toxic (∼2.4mg day‐1) intake of selenium is quite narrow, and this study sought to establish whether fruits grown in the Jordan Valley were safe for consumers, and yet capable of supplying a likely dietary requirement for the mineral. The mean levels of soil selenium were 0.64, 0.74 and 0.63mg kg–1 in three different growing regions of the Valley, while the highest levels in citrus fruits were 2.5mg kg–1 in clementines (Citrus mitis) and 3.31mg kg–1 in the bomali (Citrus paradisi). As the latter values were on a dry weight basis, the risk of selenosis would appear to be minimal but, equally important, deficiency diseases should not be manifest either.