Daily selenium intake in a moderate selenium deficiency area of Suzhou, China

In this study the daily dietary Selenium (Se) intake in Suzhou was investigated to determine whether residents in such a developed region were susceptible to moderate Se deficiency. Concentrations of Se in typically consumed foods in Suzhou were determined. Based on food Se content and the daily per capita consumption, the estimated Se intake in Suzhou was 43.9 ± 3.8 μg day−1. The results revealed that pork and cereals were the major sources of Se daily intake and contributed 24.7% and 22.6% to the daily Se intake, respectively. The Se content in hair of local residents was 389.9 ± 103.6 μg kg−1 for male and 322.9 ± 101.8 μg kg−1 for female. A significant linear correlation between the daily Se intake and the hair Se concentration was established. The hair Se concentration could be used to bioindicate the level of Se intake for longer period.