A SURVEY OF THE VITAMINS A AND D POTENCIES OF THE LIVER OIL OF ATLANTIC COD (GADUS MORRHUA L.)

A survey has been made of the variations and of some of the factors influencing the variations of the vitamins A and D potencies of the liver oil of cod landed at ports in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Gaspé peninsula of Quebec. An increase in the vitamin A potency was paralleled by an increase in the vitamin D potency and the oil content of the liver increased with the percentage liver in the fish. An increase in the oil content of the liver and of the liver content of the fish was accompanied by a decrease in the concentration of vitamins A and D in the oil. The vitamin potency of the oil tended to decrease as the fishing season advanced from June to October and the oil content of the liver increased during this period. When the yield of vitamins was expressed per 100 gm. of fish there was no apparent seasonal change in potency indicating that the seasonal changes observed were due to dilution. A relationship was observed between the stages in the spawning cycle and the oil content of the liver. Fish classed as "steaks" (six to eight years) yielded a liver oil higher in vitamins A and D potencies than "market cod" (four to six years) and the liver oil of "scrod" (three to four years) had the lowest vitamins A and D potencies.

Nutrition

Studies of the Vitamin Potency of Cod-liver-oils. XXI. The Stimulation of Reproduction by Fat-soluble Vitamins. A. D. Holmes, A. W. Doolittle and W. B. Moore. Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association, 16, 1927.Experiments are made with F5 Rhode Islands. The results were as follows:—

THE NUTRITIVE VALUE OF MARINE PRODUCTS: IV. A NOTE ON THE VITAMIN A CONTENT OF COMMERCIAL PILCHARD OIL

Vitamin A deficiencies in the diets of albino rats have been overcome by feeding commercial pilchard oil. The effects of graduated doses have been examined and satisfactory growth rates have been obtained by feeding 12 mg. per day per rat, though no emphasis is placed upon absolute evaluation of vitamin potency. In comparison colorimetric assay gave values lower than the feeding experiments indicate.