Selenium (Se) is an important element for human and animal nutrition due to its roles in a number of physiological processes. Growing plants biofortified with Se can be an efficient way to produce functional foods that can benefit human health.

The project aims to develop a biotechnology to obtain safe functional foods with an optimal content of chemopreventive compounds by protective selenium biofortification of cruciferous plant crops. Biofortification of the food chain through plant treatments (agronomic biofortification) has the advantage of supplementation with controlled levels of highly bioavailable seleno-compounds, widely accessible to different population groups at risk of chronic diseases. Selenium (although not recognised as an essential micronutrient for plants) stimulates plant growth and plays a role in plant protection against phytopathogens, oxidative stress and water stress. Treatment of plants with selenium also has the effect of improving plant resistance to drought, where water stress is combined with oxidative stress.

The originality of the project stems from the integrated approach, which aims both at safe and efficient selenium supplementation of the food chain and at protecting cruciferous plants against abiotic (lack of water, high temperatures, excessive solar radiation) and biotic (diseases and pests) stresses.

The project proposes the development and application of products as new inputs in the selenium-protective biofortification technology of cruciferae, through which to re-balance the sulphur metabolism, keeping the formation of chemopreventive selenocompounds at optimal levels.

The objectives of the project are: to develop new technological interventions (spraying adjuvants, controlled release betaines, nitric oxide inducers in plant tissues), to test and identify the best solutions for integrating new technological interventions in cruciferae cultivation technology, to prove the character of a safe functional food.

The main activities foreseen to be carried out within the project are: obtaining and testing of spraying adjuvants and betaine-based products, obtaining and testing of nitric oxide inducers in plant tissues; simultaneous application of new inputs and selenium treatments; integration of the new biofortification technology with sustainable crucifera cultivation practices; realisation and validation of 3R tests for proving the functional food character; dissemination and valorisation of results.

The final products of the project are: (i) a technology for biofortification of cruciferous crops, including new innovative products/agricultural inputs, aimed at optimising the protective effects of selenium and the accumulation of constant levels of chemopreventive selenocompounds, and methods of their application; (ii) affordable selenium biofortified functional foods with reproducible biological effects and maximum safety for human health.

The expected result from the practical implementation of these products is a safe, effective and affordable way of selenium supplementation of the food chain.

It is proposed to carry out the project within an interdisciplinary consortium in which a national R&D institute (INCDSB), a university (USH), and two SMEs (Teso Spec and Ecofruct) are partners with a complementary and synergistic role, representing all disciplines and possessing the necessary infrastructure for the development of a technology for the protective selenium biofortification of cruciferous crops and for the characterisation of the resulting plant products as safe and efficient functional foods.