scholarly journals The use of high-selenium yeast to raise selenium status: how does it measure up?

2004 ◽  
Vol 92 (4) ◽  
pp. 557-573 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret P. Rayman

Selenium-enriched yeast (Se-yeast) is a common form of Se used to supplement the dietary intake of this important trace mineral. However, its availability within the European Union is under threat, owing to concerns expressed by the European Community (EC) Scientific Committee on Food that Se-yeast supplements are poorly characterised and could potentially cause the build up of Se in tissues to toxic levels. The present review examines the validity of these concerns. Diagrams of the biosynthesis and metabolism of Se compounds show which species can be expected to occur in Se-yeast preparations. Se-yeast manufacture is described together with quality-control measures applied by reputable manufacturers. The way in which speciation of Se-yeast is achieved is explained and results on amounts of Se species in various commercial products are tabulated. In all cases described, selenomethionine is the largest single species, accounting for 54–74 % of total Se. Se-yeast is capable of increasing the activity of the selenoenzymes and its bioavailability has been found to be higher than that of inorganic Se sources in all but one study. Intervention studies with Se-yeast have shown the benefit of this form in cancer prevention, on the immune response and on HIV infection. Of about one dozen supplementation studies, none has shown evidence of toxicity even up to an intake level of 800 μg Se/d over a period of years. It is concluded that Se-yeast from reputable manufacturers is adequately characterised, of reproducible quality, and that there is no evidence of toxicity even at levels far above the EC tolerable upper intake level of 300 μg/d.

2008 ◽  
Vol 122 (2) ◽  
pp. 107-121 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wayne Chris Hawkes ◽  
B. Diane Richter ◽  
Zeynep Alkan ◽  
Elaine C. Souza ◽  
Monique Derricote ◽  
...  

2008 ◽  
Vol 52 (11) ◽  
pp. 1324-1333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bram Bekaert ◽  
Matthew L. Cooper ◽  
Fiona R. Green ◽  
Helene McNulty ◽  
Kristina Pentieva ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Sean D. Moore

Thaumatotibia leucotreta, known as the false codling moth, is a pest of citrus and other crops in sub-Saharan Africa. As it is endemic to this region and as South Africa exports most of its citrus around the world, T. leucotreta has phytosanitary status for most markets. This means that there is zero tolerance for any infestation with live larvae in the market. Consequently, control measures prior to exporting must be exemplary. Certain markets require a standalone postharvest disinfestation treatment for T. leucotreta. However, the European Union accepts a systems approach, consisting of three measures and numerous components within these measures. Although effective preharvest control measures are important under all circumstances, they are most critical where a standalone postharvest disinfestation treatment is not applied, such as within a systems approach. Conventional wisdom may lead a belief that effective chemical control tools are imperative to achieve this end. However, we demonstrate that it is possible to effectively control T. leucotreta to a level acceptable for a phytosanitary market, using only biological control tools. This includes parasitoids, predators, microbial control, semiochemicals, and sterile insects. Simultaneously, on-farm and environmental safety is improved and compliance with the increasing stringency of chemical residue requirements imposed by markets is achieved.


2006 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. 477-485 ◽  
Author(s):  
James C. Griffiths ◽  
Ray A. Matulka ◽  
Ronan Power

Selenium, recognized as an essential nutrient for human health, is a component of proteins and enzymes required for various biological functions and is currently being used as a feed supplement for livestock in geographical areas that are naturally low in selenium. Selenium is structurally similar to sulfur, replacing the sulfur atom in stoichiometric amounts and thus functions through an association with proteins, termed selenoproteins. In geographic areas low in selenium, there is the potential for animals (including humans) to become selenium deficient and this potential deficiency can be remedied by consumption of exogenous selenium, including selenium-enriched yeast ( Saccharomyces cerevisiae) that contains high levels of organic selenium (e.g., selenized yeast). A unique, standardized, registered high selenium food-grade baker’s yeast ( S. cerevisiae; Sel-Plex®), was tested in the following battery of Genotoxicity assays; (1) a bacterial reverse mutation test (Ames test); (2) an in vitro mammalian chromosome aberration test; and (3) a mouse micronucleus test. Under the conditions of this assay, Sel-Plex® showed no evidence of mutagenic activity in Salmonella typhimurium, in the bacterial reverse mutation test. Sel-Plex® did not induce significant chromosomal aberrations in cultured human lymphocytes in the in vitro mammalian chromosome aberration test. Sel-Plex® did not statistically increase the frequency or proportion of micronucleated immature erythrocytes in the mouse micronucleus test. Thus, from the studies presented here, the authors conclude that Sel-Plex® is nongenotoxic.


2017 ◽  
Vol 80 (3) ◽  
pp. 431-442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao-Na Pang ◽  
Zhao-Jie Li ◽  
Jing-Yu Chen ◽  
Li-Juan Gao ◽  
Bei-Zhong Han

ABSTRACT Standards and regulations related to spirit drinks have been established by different countries and international organizations to ensure the safety and quality of spirits. Here, we introduce the principles of food safety and quality standards for alcoholic beverages and then compare the key indicators used in the distinct standards of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the European Union, the People's Republic of China, the United States, Canada, and Australia. We also discuss in detail the “maximum level” of the following main contaminants of spirit drinks: methanol, higher alcohols, ethyl carbamate, hydrocyanic acid, heavy metals, mycotoxins, phthalates, and aldehydes. Furthermore, the control measures used for potential hazards are introduced. Harmonization of the current requirements based on comprehensive scope analysis and the risk assessment approach will enhance both the trade and quality of distilled spirits. This review article provides valuable information that will enable producers, traders, governments, and researchers to increase their knowledge of spirit drink safety requirements, control measures, and research trends.


2015 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
pp. 188-195 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrej Kunca ◽  
Milan Zúbrik ◽  
Juraj Galko ◽  
Jozef Vakula ◽  
Roman Leontovyč ◽  
...  

Abstract Salvage felling is one of the indicators of the forest health quality and stability. Most of the European Union countries monitor forest harmful agents, which account for salvage felling, in order to see trends or functionality between factors and to be able to predict their development. The systematic evidence of forest harmful agents and volume of salvage felling in Slovakia started at the Forest Research Institute in Zvolen in 1960. The paper focuses on the occurrence of the most relevant harmful agents and volume of salvage felling in the Slovak forests over the last decade. Within the 10 years period (2004–2013) salvage felling in Slovakia reached 42.31 mil. m3 of wood, which was 53.2% of the total felling. Wind and European spruce bark beetle Ips typographus damaged 78.4% of salvage wood, i.e. they were the most important pest agents. Norway spruce (Picea abies) was the most frequently damaged tree species that represented the amount of 35.6 mil. m3 of wood (81.2% of total volume of salvage felling). As Norway spruce grows mostly in mountains, these regions of Central and Northern Slovakia were most affected. At the damaged localities new forests were prevailingly established with regard to suitable ecological conditions for trees, climate change scenarios and if possible, natural regeneration has been preferred. These approaches in forest stand regeneration together with silvicultural and control measures are assumed to gradually decrease the amount of salvage felling over long term perspective.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam M. Blanchard ◽  
Ceri E. Staley ◽  
Laurence Shaw ◽  
Sean R Wattegedera ◽  
Christina-Marie Baumbach ◽  
...  

Footrot is a polymicrobial infectious disease in sheep causing severe lameness, leading to one of the industry’s biggest welfare problems. The complex aetiology of footrot makes in-situ or in-vitro investigations difficult. Computational methods offer a solution to understanding the bacteria involved, how they may interact with the host and ultimately providing a way to identify targets for future hypotheses driven investigative work. Here we present the first combined global analysis of the bacterial community transcripts together with the host immune response in healthy and diseased ovine feet during a natural polymicrobial infection state using metatranscriptomics. The intra tissue and surface bacterial populations and the most abundant bacterial transcriptome were analysed, demonstrating footrot affected skin has a reduced diversity and increased abundances of, not only the causative bacteria Dichelobacter nodosus , but other species such as Mycoplasma fermentans and Porphyromonas asaccharolytica . Host transcriptomics reveals a suppression of biological processes relating to skin barrier function, vascular functions, and immunosurveillance in unhealthy interdigital skin, supported by histological findings that type I collagen (associated with scar tissue formation) is significantly increased in footrot affected interdigital skin comparted to outwardly healthy skin. Finally, we provide some interesting indications of host and pathogen interactions associated with virulence genes and the host spliceosome which could lead to the identification of future therapeutic targets. Impact Statement Lameness in sheep is a global welfare and economic concern and footrot is the leading cause of lameness, affecting up to 70% of flocks in the U.K. Current methods for control of this disease are labour intensive and account for approximately 65% of antibiotic use in sheep farming, whilst preventative vaccines suffer from poor efficacy due to antigen competition. Our limited understanding of cofounders, such as strain variation and polymicrobial nature of infection mean new efficacious, affordable and scalable control measures are not receiving much attention. Here we examine the surface and intracellular bacterial populations and propose potential interactions with the host. Identification of these key bacterial species involved in the initiation and progression of disease and the host immune mechanisms could help form the basis of new therapies.


2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (37) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Messiaen ◽  
Annemie Forier ◽  
Steven Vanderschueren ◽  
Caroline Theunissen ◽  
Jochen Nijs ◽  
...  

Trichinellosis is a rare parasitic zoonosis caused by Trichinella following ingestion of raw or undercooked meat containing Trichinella larvae. In the past five years, there has been a sharp decrease in human trichinellosis incidence rates in the European Union due to better practices in rearing domestic animals and control measures in slaughterhouses. In November 2014, a large outbreak of trichinellosis occurred in Belgium, related to the consumption of imported wild boar meat. After a swift local public health response, 16 cases were identified and diagnosed with trichinellosis. Of the 16 cases, six were female. The diagnosis was confirmed by serology or the presence of larvae in the patients’ muscle biopsies by histology and/or PCR. The ensuing investigation traced the wild boar meat back to Spain. Several batches of imported wild boar meat were recalled but tested negative. The public health investigation allowed us to identify clustered undiagnosed cases. Early warning alerts and a coordinated response remain indispensable at a European level.


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