SELENIUM CONTENT IN FOOD & DRINKING WATER IN EGYPT AND THE DIETARY INTAKE

The present work is planned to estimate the daily total dietary intake of
Selenium by the Egyptian citizen in diet and drinking water. This data was compared
with the international recommended acceptable limit. The daily intake of Selenium
from diet was estimated using food groups according to Food Balance Sheet,2002.
The method involves the purchase and preparation of the cooked foodstuffs and fresh
food commonly used in the diet. However, it does not include food consumed outside
the home. Thirty samples, used in the house were collected monthly from 3
governorates (Cairo, Giza and Kalioubia) during the year 2003.The Selenium
concentration was measured in each food group. The daily intake of Selenium from
diet was 92.06 j..Jg/personfday. Drinking water samples were collected from ten
governorates in Egypt. The Selenium content in tap water (the origin is River Nile)
ranged from 0.008 - 0.015 1J91L with an average of 0.0122 IJg/L. The amount of
drinking water consumed by the Egyptian citizen was 3288 ml/day f( r adult and the
Selenium intake from drinking water was 0.04 IJg/day.
By comparing the results of the total Selenium intake from diet and drinking
water in Egypt with the study presented by Food and Nutrition Board (1989), it was
found that the Selenium intake by the Egyptian citizen was 92.1lJg/person/day falls
within the recommended daily intake set by Food and Nutrition Board (1989) 50-200
IJg / person/day represting a safe and adequate range for healthy adults.