Evaluation of an in vitro method for the estimation of the selenium availability from cow's milk.

The present study evaluates the application of an in vitro digestion procedure for estimating the selenium (Se) availability from cow's milk. The results obtained by this in vitro method indicate that only a small portion (< 10%) of milk Se can be estimated as available. The available fraction of whole milk (4.7%) was significantly lower compared to the Se availability of skim milk (7.3%). Investigations on the methodology of the in vitro method indicate that the portion of total potentially available Se, determined as total dialysable Se, increases simultaneously with protein digestibility along with the digestion process. Therefore it is concluded that protein digestibility might largely influence the Se availability from milk.