Selenomethionine and Selenium Yeast: Appropriate Forms of Selenium for Use in Infant Formulas and Nutritional Supplements

Because the natural selenium content of infant formulas is generally low, selenium fortification is necessary to improve the selenium status of formula-fed infants. The question as to the form of selenium to be used for this purpose is an important one. Ideally, selenium should be supplemented in the same form in which it occurs normally in human milk. Sodium selenate or sodium selenite, which are used currently, do not occur normally in foods. Virtually all the selenium present in human milk is organic and significantly in the form of selenomethionine. Selenomethionine could be added to infant formulas in the form of selenium yeast or selenium yeast hydrolyzates.