333
Nickel (Ni, lat. Niccolum) The importance of nickel for the living world was first
discovered in the late 60s of the last century, and until then nickel was considered
only as a toxic element for the organism. Since then, nickel has been considered a
“possible” essential trace element for humans, but little is still known about its role
in the body. Most of the research related to the role of nickel in the body has been
done on chickens and rats. It is believed that there are about 10 mg of nickel in the
human body.
Selenium (Se, lat. Selenium) Selenium was identified as a trace element necessary
for man only in the 70s of the last century. The average adult contains about 20 mg
of selenium, and most of it is found in the liver, kidneys, heart, and spleen.
Silicon (Si, lat. Carboneum) Silicon is the mineral most abundant in the Earth’s
crust, but the need for silicon in the biological system is not significant. Human
needs have not been determined but are estimated at 10–20 mg per day. Most likely,
the intake of this amount was determined under normal circumstances.
Sulfur (S, lat. Sulfur) Sulfur is necessary for human life. It is part of two amino
acids as well as in many important biological compounds, such as, e.g., vitamins.
The more important sulfur compounds are sulfuric acid, sulfite acid, their salts,
sulfur(IV) oxide, and sulfur(VI) oxide. SO sulfur oxide is also known, but it is
extremely unstable. Sulfur occurs both in pure flare and in the form of the minerals
sulfide and sulfite. Apart from sulfur ores, sulfur was obtained in large quantities by
refining coal and refining industrial ash.
Vanadium (V, lat. Vanadium) Vanadium is a metal present in the Earth’s crust in
the amount of 80 ppm (parts per million) in the form of the minerals patronite (VS 4 )
and vandanite (Pb 5 (VO 4 ) 3 Cl). It was named after the Scandinavian goddess Vanadis.
Vanadium is found in man’s environment and in his food. It occurs in traces in the
human body, and it is recommended to take it in the amount of 10 micrograms.
Vanadium deficiency does not occur in people who eat regularly and properly.
According to some authors, vanadium acts as a mineral that affects testosterone
production and as such is important for the health of the reproductive system and all
the functions that testosterone and androgen hormones carry.
11.6 Influence of Production Process on Biologically Active
Compounds
The raw materials from which biologically active components are obtained can be
very different, and the most commonly used are plant extracts, plant foods, animal
foods, microbial fermentation products, microorganisms, vitamins, and minerals.
Procedures that are used to obtain biologically active components of food are identi11 Chemical Composition and Nutritional Properties of Functional Food
Nickel (Ni, lat. Niccolum) The importance of nickel for the living world was first
discovered in the late 60s of the last century, and until then nickel was considered
only as a toxic element for the organism. Since then, nickel has been considered a
“possible” essential trace element for humans, but little is still known about its role
in the body. Most of the research related to the role of nickel in the body has been
done on chickens and rats. It is believed that there are about 10 mg of nickel in the
human body.
Selenium (Se, lat. Selenium) Selenium was identified as a trace element necessary
for man only in the 70s of the last century. The average adult contains about 20 mg
of selenium, and most of it is found in the liver, kidneys, heart, and spleen.
Silicon (Si, lat. Carboneum) Silicon is the mineral most abundant in the Earth’s
crust, but the need for silicon in the biological system is not significant. Human
needs have not been determined but are estimated at 10–20 mg per day. Most likely,
the intake of this amount was determined under normal circumstances.
Sulfur (S, lat. Sulfur) Sulfur is necessary for human life. It is part of two amino
acids as well as in many important biological compounds, such as, e.g., vitamins.
The more important sulfur compounds are sulfuric acid, sulfite acid, their salts,
sulfur(IV) oxide, and sulfur(VI) oxide. SO sulfur oxide is also known, but it is
extremely unstable. Sulfur occurs both in pure flare and in the form of the minerals
sulfide and sulfite. Apart from sulfur ores, sulfur was obtained in large quantities by
refining coal and refining industrial ash.
Vanadium (V, lat. Vanadium) Vanadium is a metal present in the Earth’s crust in
the amount of 80 ppm (parts per million) in the form of the minerals patronite (VS 4 )
and vandanite (Pb 5 (VO 4 ) 3 Cl). It was named after the Scandinavian goddess Vanadis.
Vanadium is found in man’s environment and in his food. It occurs in traces in the
human body, and it is recommended to take it in the amount of 10 micrograms.
Vanadium deficiency does not occur in people who eat regularly and properly.
According to some authors, vanadium acts as a mineral that affects testosterone
production and as such is important for the health of the reproductive system and all
the functions that testosterone and androgen hormones carry.
11.6 Influence of Production Process on Biologically Active
Compounds
The raw materials from which biologically active components are obtained can be
very different, and the most commonly used are plant extracts, plant foods, animal
foods, microbial fermentation products, microorganisms, vitamins, and minerals.
Procedures that are used to obtain biologically active components of food are identi11 Chemical Composition and Nutritional Properties of Functional Food