Selenium - fortified radish sprouts: Elevated nutritional and antioxidant profiling

Selenium as an essential trace element is particularly beneficial when ingested as organic selenium through food. This study explored the potential of radish sprouts as effective selenium converters for bioavailable organic forms. Nutritional analysis of selenium-enriched radish sprouts (leaves, stems, and roots) revealed that optimal selenium concentrations (less than 10 mg/L in water) significantly enhanced their ability to convert inorganic selenium (over 90%, P <0.05). This conversion not only increased the levels of nutritional compounds such as soluble sugar and protein but also bolstered the antioxidant compounds like vitamin C, flavonoids, and anthocyanin (P <0.05). Notably, selenium treatment increased the antioxidant capacity of the sprouts and strengthened the antioxidant system by regulating crucial antioxidant enzymes (SOD,POD,CAT and APX). Transcriptomic analysis provided deeper insights, showing that selenium treatment upregulated genes related to biosynthesis pathways of many antioxidant molecules including alpha-linolenic acid metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, carotenoid biosynthesis etc . In conclusion, moderate selenium fortification (e.g. 1-5 mg/L selenium treatment) is a promising strategy to enhance the nutritional value and antioxidant activity of radish sprouts. • Radish sprouts efficiently converted inorganic selenium into organic selenium. • Selenium treatment boosted nutrition in radish sprouts including soluble sugar, protein,etc. • Selenium enrichment improved the antioxidant capacity of radish sprouts. • Selenium treatment resulted in antioxidant biosynthesis genes upregulated. • Moderate selenium concentrations promoted the growth and biomass accumulation of radish sprouts.