In Switzerland, spelled cultivation has been a tradition for centuries and is therefore much more important. In Austria, this development was favored by a general increase in health awareness among the population and an increase in organic farms because spelled is well suited to cultivation even under more extensive conditions and in cooler locations (WINZELER and RÜEGGER, 1990).
In addition, spelled is said to have special properties with regard to its material composition - compared to common wheat - which make its use as a food so particularly valuable. A higher protein content has been proven in spelled compared to common wheat, although there are different statements about the absolute protein content (CLAMOT, 1984; WALTL et al., 1986; KLING, 1989). There are also significant differences between naked and husked spelled grains (COUVREUR et al., 1987). Various spelled ingredients have been examined in individual studies, but most of these studies date back years and only refer to a single or a few varieties (JACQUOT et al., 1960; ZÜLLIG, 1984; LUFT et al., 1991; LAUBER and LEDL ,1991; COORS et al.,1991; BOGNAR and KELLERMANN,1991; LANTZSCH,1991). Hildegard von Bingen used spelled as a medicinal plant as early as the Middle Ages, and spelled's dietary properties are also confirmed today (STREHLOW et al., 1991).

The essential trace element selenium, which is consumed with food, plays an important role in human nutrition (MAYER, 1998). The daily amount required is between 0.05 - 0.1 mg Se; Animal foods contain significantly more Se than plant foods. Within plant-based foods, grains, legumes, soybeans and asparagus can contain more selenium (MÜLLER-WETTLAUFER, 1991). A higher selenium content in spelled than in wheat could open up new possibilities for spelled and make its cultivation more interesting. In principle, however, there is a close dependency on the selenium content of the soil, and this is very low in Austria and throughout Europe. There are studies on the selenium content from various countries on this complex of questions, some from different cultures and also from soils (JOHNSSON, 1991a and 1991b), but none from Austrian conditions on spelled.