Studies in the stability of vitamins A and D. I

Abstract

ALTHOUGH it is well known that vitamin A is destroyed by the action of air and heat, little information is available about the changes that occur during this destruction. The joint effect on the vitamin of heat and air or oxygen has accordingly been investigated.

Vitamin A Destruction in Fish Liver Oils

“…A conversion factor of 2000 was used for calculation of the vitamin A content. There are objections to this method of estimation, especially as oxidation proceeds, because the absorption at 3280 Á. of the oxidized vitamin may not entirely disappear (2,16,19).0 Other components in the oils having some absorption at 3280 A. may also be present, and their absorption may undergo a change during oxidation. On the other hand, no attempt was made to confirm the findings by biological assay, mainly because, as Lease et al (10) have shown, the destruction of the vitamin A by the fatty peroxides would continue during the course of the bioassay.…”