Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) grain is the main raw material in brewing industry, because beer taste and production process depend on barley grain qualitative indices. One of the barley grain’s qualitative indices is grain sprouting activity. There have been numerous researches that showed the effects of selenium (Se) on hull-less barley sprouting activity and positive influence on biologically active substances and high vitamins concentration in grain (Dūma et al., 2002), but hull-less barley is not widely used. The aim of this study was to explore the influence of different selenium concentrations on the barley grains sprouting activity and content of total phenols. Barley with grain viability of 92% have been soaked in diverse solutions (Se concentration 0.5 mg LE-1 – 10 mg LE-1) for 12 hours, then the grain sprouted at the temperature of +18±2 °C for 5 days and dried in the oven for 48 hours at a temperature of +50 °C. After sprouting, the sprouting activity of the grain was determined, but total phenols amount was determined after grain desiccation. The obtained results showed that the increase in selenium concentration in a solution increased barley grain sprouting activity from 16.3% (0.5 mg LE-1) to 27.9% (10 mg LE-1), but the amount of total phenols decreased.

Malt is a natural food product produced by germinating cereal grains. Safety of cereal grains and cereal products is a very important area. Experiments were carried out at the Faculty of Food Technology of the Latvia University of Agriculture. The research object was rye malt. The purpose of the research was to investigate and compare the influence of copper and selenium on microbiological indicators of rye malt. Rye grains of 96% viability were soaked and germinated at temperature +6 ± 2 °C for 4 days, using copper(II) sulphate pentahydrate CuS04*5H2 O solutions (Cu concentration 10 mg LE-1, 50 mg LE-1, 100 mg LE-1) and for 3 days using sodium selenate Na2 SeO4 solutions (Se concentration 3 mg LE-1, 5 mg LE-1, 10 mg LE-1) then the soaked grains dried in the oven for 24 hours. The total plate count and yeast colony forming units were determined in rye malt samples. The obtained results showed that the increasing of copper and selenium concentration in solution significantly changes microflora of rye malt comparing with the control sample.

In modern life oxidative stress has a serious effect on human health; therefore, natural antioxidants play an important role in human well-being. Hen (Gallus gallus domesticus) eggs can be effectively enriched with selenium and vitamin E and can be used as a source of natural antioxidants. The objective of this study was to determine the interaction of selenium and vitamin E in eggs and egg yolk oil. Two groups of Lohman Brown-Classic breed laying hens from a real production facility were taken as an experimental object. The basal diet was the same for both groups and content 25 mg kgE-1 of vitamin E added. 0.2 mg kgE-1 of sodium selenite was used as an inorganic source of selenium in feed for one hen group and 0.3 mg kgE-1 of organic selenium in the selenized yeast form for the other group. The selenium content was determined in eggs, egg yolk, egg white and egg yolk oil samples and vitamin E content in egg yolks and egg yolk oil. The results of this study indicate that there is no difference in selenium content in eggs from inorganic and organic selenium hen diet taking into account that selenium content in feed was different. The majority of selenium is located in egg yolk, but there was no selenium detected in egg yolk oil. Vitamin E content in egg yolks was not affected by the source of selenium (p is less than 0.05). High vitamin E content in egg yolk oil effectively protects egg yolk oil from oxidation during storage.

The effect of selenium on the content of thiamine (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), as well as pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) in wheat (Triticum aestivum L), hull-less barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and hull-less oats (Avena sativa L.) grains during germination were investigated. The winter wheat grain variety 'Zentos', hull-less barley and hull-less oats were used for study. Grains were soaked for 120 hours totally in solutions containing selenium from 10 to 200 mg lE-1 in the form of sodium selenate (Se+6). Grains with moisture content of 43%-44% were let to sprout at ambient temperature of 18+-2 deg C. The content of B1, B2 and B5 vitamins in germinated grains were determined using standard methods. Laboratory studies showed that changes in vitamin B1, B2 and B5 content depend on selenium concentration and kind of grains. Selenium additives promote biochemical activity of vitamin B1 and content of this vitamin decreases after 5 days' germination in all investigated grains at all applied selenium concentrations. Selenium concentrations of 10 and 25 mg lE-1 promote forming of vitamin B2 in wheat, barley and oat grains. The changes in vitamin B5 content depend on selenium concentration and kind of grains.

Selenium (Se) is an essential microelement for human health; it is not synthesized in human body and cannot be substituted by any other element. Many health problems have a link with Se deficiency. People need to obtain all necessary amounts of selenium with food. Cereal products are important components of our diets and can contribute comparatively large part of the total dietary intake of Se. The wheat grains growing in Latvia contain comparatively small amount of selenium - on average 0.04 mg kgE-1. The objective of this study was to investigate the possibilities of fortifying wheat grains with microelement selenium during soaking grains in selenium containing solutions. Wheat grain was soaked in sodium selenite and sodium selenate solutions with selenium concentration from 10 to 200 mg lE-1. Sprouting activity was determined after 24, 72 and 120 hours, the influence of selenium valence in compound was observed. Comparing the influence of Se**+4 and Se**+6, it can be concluded that Se**+4 does not promote sprouting activity of wheat grains position to Se**+6 which increases sprouting activity till selenium concentration 100 mg lE-1. Uptake of selenium in grains was studied by determination of total Se using atomic absorption spectroscopy method. Linear correlation between Se concentrations in applied soaking solutions and Se concentration in grains was observed. The content of total protein did not change significantly - it varied from 13.64% in the control sample to 13.87% in the wheat sample with the highest applied selenium concentration (200 mg lE-1).