Potential intake of selenium by the inhabitants of different regions in Jordan Available to Purchase

The margin between a deficient (∼0.02mg day^‐1), an adequate (∼0.2mg day^‐1) and toxic (∼2.4mg day^‐1) intake of selenium is quite narrow, and this study sought to establish whether fruits grown in the Jordan Valley were safe for consumers, and yet capable of supplying a likely dietary requirement for the mineral. The mean levels of soil selenium were 0.64, 0.74 and 0.63mg kg^–1 in three different growing regions of the Valley, while the highest levels in citrus fruits were 2.5mg kg^–1 in clementines (Citrus mitis) and 3.31mg kg^–1 in the bomali (Citrus paradisi). As the latter values were on a dry weight basis, the risk of selenosis would appear to be minimal but, equally important, deficiency diseases should not be manifest either.