ESTIMATION OF SELENIUM BIOAVAILABILITY FROM HUMAN, COWS, GOAT AND SHEEP MILK BY AN IN-VITRO METHOD

The trace element selenium (Se) has been recognized to be essential fo r human health. The dependence of infants on milk as their principal f ood source, generally low in Se content, makes them more vulnerable to inadequate Se intake. The present study compared the Se availability as estimated by a simulated gastrointestinal digestion procedure, of h uman milk and some common ruminant milks, namely cow, goat and sheep m ilk. The Se availability of human milk (11.1%) was significantly highe r compared to that of cow (6.8%), goat (6.2%) and sheep milk (< 2%). F urther study suggested that the Se availability may be related to the gastric digestibility of protein. The high Se availability of human mi lk might be attributed to the high gastric digestibility of human milk protein. It was found that removal of the milk fat fraction increases the Se availability.