The bioavailability of selenium in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Mineral selenium (Se) is an essential nutrient of great importance to biology of human. Cultivation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells in molasses medium with different concentrations of selenium showed that the contents of organic selenium in the cells, increased with the increase in selenium concentration up to 2 μg/ml followed by a gradual decrease after 24 h of incubation. No clear inhibition effect on growth or gassing power of cells was observed at all concentrations of selenium. The bioavailability of selenium (Se) in Se-yeast was evaluated by measuring Se accumulation and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Pxe) activity. For 6 weeks, Sprague-Dawley rats experiments were subjected to a Se-yeast with a graded levels (0.9, 1.8, 3.2 and 3.6 μg Se/100 g BW/day). The results did not show any influence on kidney function (CK), liver function (AST, ALT, ALK, protein and albumin) and glucose in serum as well as histopathology studies. Content of Se and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Pxe) activity in erythrocytes increased gradually with increase in supplemented Se. It could be recommended to use the selenium yeast (high quality baker’s yeast containing selenium) in baking process to control the selenium level in the final product as a source of antioxidant substance for protection from different diseases instead of using selenium drugs.