Selenium in Finnish foods after beginning the use of selenate‐supplemented fertilisers

Abstract

Abstract In Finland all agricultural multinutrient fertilisers have been supplemented with sodium selenate since 1984 in order to increase the selenium (Se) content of domestic foods and to raise the population's low Se intake. In the present study the Se contents of 125 food items, most of them produced locally but some imported, have been analysed using electrothermal atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The quality of Se analyses was verified by accuracy and precision measures of certified references and non‐certified controls. In all cases the Se‐supplemented fertilisation increased the Se levels of domestic agricultural products. The mean Se values (mg kg −1 dry weight) in different food groups varied as follows: cereals 0.05–0.35; vegetables and fruit < 0.01,–1.20; meat and meat products 0.16–4.90; fish 0.54–3.80; dairy products and eggs 0.05–1.30; and ready to eat foods 0.04–0.78. The highest Se contents were in kidney, liver and roe whereas the lowest concentrations were found in some fruits and berries. Generally, foods of high protein content, such as meat, fish and high protein dairy products, were abundant sources of Se. The present Se intake, calculated according to Finnish national food statistics and the present results, is about 0.11 mg day −1 at an energy level of 10 MJ (2400 keal). Cereals, meat, dairy products, eggs and fish, respectively, contributed 26%, 29%, 20%, 10% and 9% of the total intake. The Se intake now very probably meets the recommendations. Only diets with a very exceptional composition provide less than 0.05 mg or more than 0.2 mg per 10 MJ.