Selenium content of Turkish hazelnut varieties: Kara Findik, Tombul and Delisava

The selenium contents of three different varieties of hazelnut, namely Kara Findik, Tombul, and Delisava, which are cultivated in Sakarya, Turkey, were studied for variety and geographical region. The hazelnut kernels prepared as hulled (without hull) and unbulled (whole) forms were analysed by using electrothermal atomization atomic absorption spectrometry after solvent extraction. The mean levels of selenium are 0.47, 0.70, 0.36 mg/100 g in unhulled kernels, and 0.95, 1.69, 0.66 mg/100 g in hulled kernels of Kara Findik, Tombul and Delisava hazelnut varieties, respectively. Selenium compositions of hazelnut varieties showed significant differences from each other by means of geographical region and hulled or unhulled state of hazelnut kernels. It was found that the highest selenium levels were observed in Ferizli district Tombul hulled hazelnut variety whereas in Karasu district lowest selenium contents were obtained in unhulled Kara Findik and Tombul hazelnut varieties. (C) 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.