engleski

Metallic trace elements in cereal grain – A review : How much metal do we eat?

Plants are the first step of a metal’s pathway from the soil to heterotrophic organisms such as animals and humans, so the content of metallic trace elements in edible parts of a plant represent available load of these metals that may enter the food chain through plants. Among metal elements, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn are micronutrients as they are essential in trace amounts for physiological processes in living organisms and therefore are a significant component of the soil–plant–food continuum. Billions of people around the world suffer from micronutrient malnutrition. This review is aimed at giving an overview of the data pertaining to the Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu content of the grains of the globally most important cereals – wheat, rice, and maize, reported mostly during the last two decades. The prevailing opinions on their importance in the food chain, and current strategies for enrichment of cereal grains with those essential microelements are briefly summarized.

essential trace elements ; food chain ; maize ; metals ; rice ; wheat

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