CHAPTER 10: Bioavailability of Selenium and Selenium Compounds in Foodstuff by In Vivo Testing

The determination of toxic and essential (i.e. selenium species) compounds in food products and bioavailability studies of these compounds are of special concern in the context of human nutrition and human health risk assessment. In vivo and in vitro gastrointestinal extraction, also known as bioaccessibility/bioavailability/bioactivity, are important approaches for assessing beneficial effects and chemical risk to humans. An overview on in vivo bioavailability assays for releasing selenium and selenium species in food samples is summarized. The effect of food processing and food composition on the selenium species bioavailability was critically evaluated.