Selenium Content of a Range of UK Foods

The selenium content of over 700 food samples was determined representing 100 different types of food. Each sample was drawn from a number of purchases to represent a wide range of product availabe in the UK. Foods were prepared for eating/cooking and analyzed by atomic absorption spectroscopy via hydride generation following acid digestion. The highest Se concentrations were found in brazil nuts (254 μg/100 g), kidney (146 μg/100 g), crab meat (84 μg/100 g), while most vegetables and dairy products tested were below 2 μg/100 g fresh weight. A wide range of breads and rolls were tested, the highest being wholemeal bread (9 μg/100 g) and the lowest currant bread (3.5 μg/100 g). The calculated dietary intake of selenium using these results is 34 μg/day compared with the Reference Nutrient Intake of 75 and 60 μg/day for adult males and females, respectively.