Suitability assessment of amaranth sprouts as a new
functional food was carried out. The optimisation of sprouting
process and the influence of selenium supplementation, in
doses 10, 15, and 30 mg/l of selenium as sodium selenite, on
amaranth growth and fatty acid profile were examined.
Methods such as FRAP, DPPH, polyphenols content and
GPX activity were applied to characterize antioxidant poten-
tial of seeds and sprouts of four different edible amaranth
genera.
E. coli, S. aureus, C. albicans
were used to evaluate
amaranth sprouts antimicrobial properties. Interaction be-
tween amaranth sprouts and biological systems was assessed
by analysing antibacterial and antifungal properties with a disc diffusion test. The studies proved amaranth sprouts to be
potentially attractive as functional food. As confirmed by all
the data amaranth sprouts are suitable as a moderate selenium
accumulator and are rich in essential fatty acids, especially
linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids, which are precursors of
long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. Thus, it opens dietary
opportunities for amaranth sprouts. They can also serve as a
moderate source of antioxidant compounds. Nevertheless, the
experiments revealed neither antibacterial, nor antifungal
properties of sprouts. In general, amaranth sprouts biological
activity under evaluation has failed to prove to be significantly
impacted by selenium fertilization
