Influence of selenium biofortification on the bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of wheat microgreen extract

Abstract

The study was conducted to confirm the effects of selenium biofortification on the bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of wheat microgreen extract. The microgreens were cultivated in the DFT hydroponic system with different concentrations of Se (0 [control], 0.125, 0.25, 0.50, and 1.00 mg/L from sodium selenite) in a growth chamber by controlling temperature (25/20 °C, day/night), light (12 h light/dark; intensity 150 µmol‧m^-2‧s^-1 with white fluorescence lamp), and humidity (60%) for 10 days. Se biofortification increased the germination rate and decreased microgreen length and yield. Chlorophyll and carotenoid levels increased in the Se-biofortified microgreen extract. Bioactive compounds such as phenolics, flavonoids, vitamin C, and anthocyanin significantly increased in 0.25-0.50 mg/L of Se-biofortified microgreen extracts. Antioxidant (ABTS, DPPH, NSA and SOD-like) activity also increased at moderate levels (0.25-0.50 mg/L) of Se biofortification. Therefore, Se biofortification may be useful for the industrial manufacture of new products from wheat microgreen extract.

Keywords: Antioxidant activity; Bioactive phytochemicals; Selenium enrichment; Wheat microgreen.