University Researcher Seeks Better Flour

ABERDEEN, S.D. – South Dakota State University researchers are looking for ways to increase the amount of the trace mineral selenium in flour.

Flour that is high in selenium could create a market for farmers along the Missouri River, where the selenium content is high, said Padmanaban Krishnan, a cereal chemist at SDSU’s Department of Nutrition, Food Science and Hospitality.

Krishnan has been studying ways to increase the selenium content in flour for two years. It involves milling selenium-rich wheat as part of a study funded by the South Dakota Wheat Commission.

Incorporated into proteins, selenium serves as an antioxidant and has been shown to protect against cancer.

Careful milling can keep most of the wheat’s selenium in the flour, Krishnan said.

Data from SDSU show that typical wheat nationwide has 0.05 to 0.5 parts per of selenium, while in South Dakota, the average is 0.5 to 1.95 parts per million.

Krishnan said he hopes that someday, South Dakota’s farmers can sell wheat with 2 or 3 parts per million of selenium. Such wheat would be in demand in other countries, Krishnan said, adding that South Korea could be a top market.

Wheat loses many of its nutrients when the bran is taken out of the kernel. But selenium is more evenly distributed between the bran and the inside of the kernel that is processed into flour, Krishnan said.

He said he is studying white wheats usually used in breads and pastas.

"Wheat is perhaps the most important cereal grain in the world," said Randy Englund, South Dakota Wheat Commission executive director. "It economically provides more nourishment for the people of the world than any other food. In the near future, wheat consumers will have the benefit of the naturally occurring element selenium."

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Information from: Aberdeen American News, http://www.aberdeennews.com