Researchers plan to plug mineral gap

A consortium of researchers, farmers and a major baker are working together to fill future supermarket shelves with loaves of bread that will arrest the plummeting levels in the UK diet of a mineral that plays a significant role in male fertility and the prevention of some cancers.

The mineral selenium is of particular importance to men with its role in male fertility and in the prevention of prostate cancer ­ but research had also shown that it can help in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, stimulation of the immune function, suppression of inflammatory conditions, and even brain function and development.

Researchers at the UK's University of Warwick's horticultural research arm Warwick HRI have been modelling selenium intake of plants and have carried out a number of field trials to gain clear understanding of the effectiveness of selenium enhanced fertilisers on the selenium uptake of a number of grains and vegetables. They have gained insights into the competition between sulphur and selenium in plants and how several transport proteins interact with both those minerals, and their field trials can now give farmers and growers a much clearer picture of the increased selenium uptake they can expect if using particular selenium enhanced fertilisers.

Warwick HRI and a consortium of researchers, farmers, a fertiliser manufacturer and a UK baker will now develop and market British grain-based bread products with enhanced selenium.

For more information visit, www.warwick.ac.uk

Recent Issues