Plant-based beverages: selenium species, fortification and bioaccessibility estimation

Abstract

The consumption of plant-based beverages (BBP) stands out worldwide being used as a substitute for cow's milk or as an alternative to juices and other beverages. Factors such as lactose intolerance and allergy to cow milk proteins drive the consumption of these products. Beverages based on nuts, cereals and seeds (peanuts, rice, oats, among others) stand out commercially. They are considered functional and nutraceutical foods due to the presence of health-promoting components, such as fiber, minerals, vitamins and antioxidant compounds. Among the essential minerals, regular levels of selenium (Se) in the diet can decrease health problems related to the immune system, cardiovascular diseases and the incidence of some cases of cancer. Although, data are still scarce on the presence species of Se and its bioaccessibility in the BBP, and, in general, foods are poor in this micronutriente; making the study current and unpublished. Thus, this project has as aims to: evaluate the presence of Se and its bioaccessibility in different types of BBP commercially available for each type of raw material used in their preparation (almonds, peanuts, rice, oats, coconut, cashews and soybeans); fortify the BBP with different sources of species Se (organic, inorganic and microencapsulated Se), evaluate their stability and estimate the bioaccessibility of Se using the standardized in vitro digestion method (INFOGEST). The content and bioaccessible fractions of Se will be evaluated by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). In this context, it is expected to contribute to the knowledge of the nutritional value of the different species of Se in the BBP, propose different forms of fortification, characterize the stability, as well as the bioaccessible estimate of this important micronutrient. (AU)