Evaluation of quality and chemical composition of selenium enriched Vaccinium corymbosum L. and related phytochemical extracts

Selenium (Se) enrichment has been shown to enhance the nutritional value of several vegetables and fruits, particularly in terms of phenolic compounds content. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of Se enrichment, using 200 mg/L of sodium selenate by foliar spray application during phenological phase, on blueberries of Cargo cultivar. The results demonstrated a significant increase in Se content from 21.4 to 40.7 ng Se/g d.w. Significant changes in fruit composition and nutritional quality were observed, including an increase in organic acids. The volatile organic compounds were investigated by GC-MS, revealing a significant increase of linalool and a reduction of 2-hexanal. UHPLC-DADMS/MS analysis was applied to quantify the total anthocyanins content (TAC), obtaining the profile (in the extracts). The results showed a significant increase in the TAC to 3.14 mg C3GE/ g d.w., accompanied by an increase in the delphinidin derivatives, compared to the untreated control sample. This enhancement reflected an increase in the final antioxidant capacity, and exhibited evidence of cytotoxicity in a coculture of Caco-2 and HT-29 MTX cell lines. The present study has demonstrated that the addition of Se can have a substantial impact on the nutritional and health-promoting properties of blueberries.