Abstract:
Small doses of selenium are essential for human body as it has a major role in metabolism and protection of body via oxidative stress. Selenium also
plays an anti-carcinogen or chemo Selenium concentrations of major
preventive agent role in human body. consumable food products (fish, meat,
eggs and grains) in Sri Lanka were measured using Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (GF-AAS). Selenium concentrations found were: Katsuwonus pelamis (Skipjack Tuna) 0.328 ± 0.024 µg/g, Sardinella gibbosa (Salaya) 0.150 ± 0.05 µg/g, chicken 0.3978 × 10-3 ± 0.20× 10-3 µg/g,
Mutton 0.1548 × 10-3 ± 0.05× 10-3 µg/g, brown rice 1.822 ± 0.15 µg/g, dhal
1.996 ± 0.6 µg/g, egg white 1.436 ± 0.56 µg/g, egg yolk 3.376 ± 1.33 µg/g.
Selenium concentrations in beef and pork were below the instrument
detection limit (< 0.125 x 10-3µg/g). In the meat samples analyzed, chicken had significantly higher concentration of selenium than mutton. Also, egg yolk had significantly higher concentrations of selenium than egg white. Results of the statistical analysis revealed that measured selenium
concentrations between two fish varieties and two grains were not
significantly different. The highest selenium concentration was detected in
egg yolk and the lowest selenium concentration was detected in mutton.
Among the food samples studied, brown rice, dhal and egg have the most favorable selenium levels, therefore, its consumption seems to be preferable as good sources of selenium in Sri Lanka.
