Selenium status of the Swiss population and the agriculture

The natural environmental conditions in Switzerland are not in favor of an adequate selenium supply to humans and animals. However, the results of different studies (food, blood serum) demonstrate a sufficient selenium status of the population. The reasons are selenium-rich wheat imported from North-America as well as the supplementation of feeds for domestic animals. It appears that over the last 15 years the selenium status of the Swiss population remained unchanged although the import of selenium-rich wheat had decreased in this period. This decrease was incidentally compensated by the increased selenium contributions in food of animal origin due to supplemented feed.