BIOAVAILABILITY OF SELENIUM FROM VEAL, CHICKEN, BEEF, PORK, LAMB, FLOUNDER, TUNA, SELENOMETHIONINE, AND SODIUM SELENITE ASSESSED IN SELENIUM-DEFICIENT RATS

The bioavailability of selenium (Se) from veal, chicken, beef, pork, l amb, flounder, tuna, selenomethionine (SeMet), and sodium selenite was assessed in Se-deficient Fischer-344 rats. Se as veal, chicken, beef, pork, lamb, flounder, tuna, SeMet, and sodium selenite was added to t orula yeast (TY) basal diets to comprise Se-inadequate (0.05 mg Se/kg) diets. Se as sodium selenite was added to a TY basal diet to comprise a Se-adequate (0.10 mg Se/kg), Se-control diet. The experimental diet s were fed to weanling Fischer-344 rats that had been subjected to die tary Se depletion for 6 wk. After 9 wk of the dietary Se repletion, re lative activity of Liver glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) from the diffe rent dietary groups compared with control rats (100%) was: flounder 10 6%, tuna 101%, pork 86%, sodium selenite 81%, SeMet 80%, beef 80%, chi cken 77%, veal 77%, and lamb 58%. Se from flounder was the most effici ent at restoring Se concentrations in the liver and skeletal muscle. S e from sodium selenite, SeMet, beef, veal, chicken, pork, lamb, and tu na was not dietarily sufficient to restore liver and muscle Se after 9 wk of recovery following a 6-wk period of Se depletion.