The American High Plains and Eastern Wyoming, in particular, contain some of the most abundant sources of naturally-occurring selenium in the world. Certain edible plants when grown in these soils become rich in organic selenium themselves. During the last three years, two important findings have been established by Dr. Leif Thompson's investigation into selenium. First, a high-quality organic selenium-rich food product easily digested by humans has been created. Second, this product is safe for human consumption. In July of 2001, a patent was awarded for this naturally selenium-rich human food product developed for Niobrara Natural LLC by Dr. Thompson. There are two primary goals of this SBIR proposal, the first of which is to conduct a regional survey in order to locate and quantify cultivated crops containing high selenium levels. The second is to establish a field laboratory in Niobrara County Wyoming. The best strains of the various legumes and small grains collected from the survey will be cultivated in a common environment and then analyzed for selenium uptake and yield. This data will enable Niobrara Natural LLC to determine the best plant strains to use in production of high quality naturally selenium-rich food products. Niobrara Natural LLC was formed as a way to bring a lucrative economic opportunity to the agricultural producers in the High Plains region. Many rural communities, especially Niobrara County, are searching for ways to create value-added products so existing businesses can be retained and possibly expanded. Not only does this project offer this type of opportunity, it works within existing ecosystems which have been maintained and cared for by the people who know and understand them the best.
Anticipated Results/Potential Commercial Applications of Research: The anticipated results of Phase I research are essential for the future development of a variety of naturally selenium-rich food products. The patent search revealed there are no other naturally-grown products of this nature currently available. Preliminary market research has identified Canada, Japan and Europe as probable markets. Because the soils, particularly in Japan and Europe, do not contain significant amounts of selenium, food products grown there do not provide the minimum RDA needed for optimum health. Niobrara Natural LLC plans to construct a processing and packaging facility in Lusk, Wyoming for the successful commercialization of this product.
