Selenium Content of Raw and Cooked Marine Species Consumed in Portugal
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Selenium Content of Raw and Cooked Marine Species Consumed in Portugal Carla T. Martins & Cristina M. M. Almeida & Paula C. Alvito
Received: 1 October 2009 / Accepted: 16 November 2009 / Published online: 10 December 2009 # Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2009
Abstract The present study evaluates the effects of different cooking methods (grilling, frying and boiling) on selenium contents of six marine species commonly consumed in Portugal. Forty-two composite samples of sardine, horse mackerel, gilthead seabream, silver scabbardfish, hake and octopus were digested in a microwave system and analysed by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. The described method is adequate for the analysis of selenium in marine species and meets the requirements of validation and quality control. Mean selenium contents in raw species ranged from 0.35 mg kg−1 to 1.24 mg kg−1. Cooked samples presented mean selenium contents from 0.38 mg kg−1 to 1.85 mg kg−1 in grilled fish, from 1.22 mg kg−1 to 1.28 mg kg−1 in fried fish and from 0.84 mg kg−1 to 0.87 mg kg−1 in boiled fish. No statistically significant differences were determined for selenium levels in raw and cooked samples and in different marine species. Estimated selenium intake agrees well with recommendations and is far below the Upper Tolerable Nutrient Level. This is the first study concerning the evaluation of the effects of cooking methods on selenium contents of marine species consumed in Portugal. Keywords Selenium . Portugal . Seafood . Cooking Methods C. T. Martins (*) : P. C. Alvito National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge (INSA, I.P.), Food and Nutrition Department, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisboa, Portugal e-mail: [email protected] C. M. M. Almeida iMed, The Institute for Medicines and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Avenida Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
Introduction The high nutritional value of fish in terms of minerals, unsaturated lipids, phospholipids, vitamins and proteins of high biological value, makes it an ideal component of a healthy and balanced diet (Cabanero et al. 2004a). Fishing is an important aspect of culture and tradition in Portugal, which is the European Union country with the highest fish consumption per capita. The Portuguese Food Balance reports a consumption of fish and seafood of 33.5 kg per capita per year, for the period 1990–2003 (INE 2006) while the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) states only 20.8 kg per capita per year of food fish supply for Europe in 2005 (FAO 2009). The Portuguese Food Balance also reports for Portugal a daily consumption of 60.2 g per capita of fish and seafood (INE 2006). Portuguese population consumes a large variety of fish and seafood, including sardine, horse mackerel, gilthead seabream, silver scabbardfish, hake and octopus. Culinary treatments applied to fish and seafood are varied and based on Mediterranean-type diet. Selenium is an essential trace element, and foodstuffs such as cereals, meat and fish are the principal source of selen
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