The nutritional and health importance, synthesis, stability, and applications of L-ascorbic acid and its derivatives are reviewed. Syntheses and stabilities of the 2-sulfate and 2-phosphate esters of L-ascorbate are described, but only the 2-phosphate ester seems to possess vitamin C activity. L-Ascorbic acid is shown to contribute to the nonenzymatic browning of orange juice concentrate. The oxidative and anaerobic degradation of L-ascorbic acid may be its critical role in this respect.L-Ascorbic acid is biosynthesized from carbohydrate precursors including glucose and galactose by a variety of plant and animal species. Humans, other primates, and guinea pigs, as well as insects, invertebrates, fishes, and certain bats and birds are not able to synthesize L-ascorbic acid due to the absence of the enzyme L-gulonolactone oxidase (1). The prevention of scurvy has been accepted as thecriteria for estimating the minimal vitamin C requirements (2). Besides the widely accepted roles of L-ascorbic acid in preventing scurvy, facilitating amino acid metabolism, increasing iron absorption, collagen synthesis, and as a biological blocking agent against nitrosamine formation, a recent review on the nutritonal and health aspects of L-ascorbic acid (3) and an October 1991 review in Science by the American Association for the Advancement of Science indicated its important health aspects in increasing immunocompetence, faciliating drug metabolism, and reducing the risk of a wide variety of human disorders including cancer, heart disease, and atherosclerosis. The appropriate intake levels of vitamin C for each of its physiological functions have not yet been fully established.
Synthesis of L-Ascorbic AcidBecause of its vitamin C potency, useful reducing and antioxidant properties, and low toxicity for pharmaceutical, food, agricultural, and industrial applications (4,5), L-ascorbic acid production has grown continuously. The current commercial