Technology of plant raw material production with high-ratio selenium for food products manufacturing

Abstract

The food-borne micronutrient deficiency causes diet-related diseases. The problem is part of great challenges and demands a solution. The human body is the most vulnerable to selenium deficiency. The physiological requirement in this micronutrient is, in one respect, small – 70 mg per day, on the other hand, it causes a number of serious diseases. The experience was obtained of providing the population with micronutrients. It is possible to include biologically active supplements, vitamin and mineral preparations (VMP) into the ration, direct micronutrient supplementation into food products at the production stage, fortification of animal feedstuff, etc. Fortification of plant raw material with selenium during the growing stage was studied. Further, the fortified plant raw material is supposed to be used in prophylactic food products manufacturing. The most common plants with high biologically active substance (BAS) content, including selenium were chosen. They are certified and widely used in pharmacology and food industry. The most prospective concentrator agent is sweet-clover. The fortification technology for hydroponically grown sweet-clover was carried out in laboratory. Growing of the plant was carried out on hydroponics by putting it into the natural environment system. For achieving the optimum the following factors were varied: the content and concentration of the medium; the concentration of selenium preparation; temperature, humidity and dormancy period of the plant. It was established that the plant consumes selenium well in combination with the definite set of biologically active substances from the medium. As compared to the original selenium content (0.312 mg/kg of dry raw material) its quantity reached 3.50±0.80 mg/kg after fortification. Total selenium content in sweet-clover may be forecast with allowances for the preset parameters. It is advisory to continue the research on adapting the plant fortification technology using selenium preparations on commercial scale. The allowances should be made for climatic conditions, supplementation method, strength of the solutions, growth environment.