Verstegen Jonas, Günther Klaus
Institute of Nutritional and Food Sciences, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany.
Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices, 53175 Bonn, Germany.
Foods. 2023 Aug 25;12(17):3203. doi: 10.3390/foods12173203.
Selenium is an essential trace element in human nutrition. Recent findings suggest that the biosynthesis of selenium nano particles (SeNPs) in plants might be a ubiquitous phenomenon. We investigated the potential of SeNP biosynthesis in food plants and our core objective was to explore the commonness and possible ubiquitousness of nano selenium in food plants and consequently in the human diet. By growing a variety of plants in controlled conditions and the presence of selenite we found strong evidence that SeNPs are widely present in vegetables. The shoots and roots of seven different plants, and additionally Brazil nuts, were analyzed with single-particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry with a focus on edible plants including herbs and salads. SeNPs were found in every plant of our study, hence we conclude, that SeNPs are common ingredients in plant-based food and are therefore eaten daily by most humans. Considering the concerning worldwide prevalence of selenium deficiency and the great physiological properties of SeNPs, we see a high potential in utilizing this discovery.
硒是人体营养中的一种必需微量元素。最近的研究结果表明，植物中硒纳米颗粒（SeNPs）的生物合成可能是一种普遍存在的现象。我们研究了食用植物中SeNP生物合成的潜力，我们的核心目标是探索纳米硒在食用植物以及人类饮食中存在的普遍性和可能的广泛性。通过在可控条件下种植多种植物并添加亚硒酸盐，我们发现了有力证据，证明SeNPs广泛存在于蔬菜中。我们使用单颗粒电感耦合等离子体质谱法对七种不同植物的地上部分和根部以及巴西坚果进行了分析，重点是包括草药和沙拉在内的可食用植物。我们研究中的每种植物都发现了SeNPs，因此我们得出结论，SeNPs是植物性食物中的常见成分，因此大多数人每天都会摄入。考虑到全球范围内令人担忧的硒缺乏流行情况以及SeNPs出色的生理特性，我们认为利用这一发现具有很大潜力。
