The vitamin content of oysters.

Abstract

A twofold interest is connected with a study of the vitamin content of oysters. They constitute an important and an extensively used item of food. Furthermore, the material upon which they feed consists largely of diatoms and minute organisms, marine forms of life to which have been traced the origin of the fat-soluble vitamins found so abundantly in certain fish liver oils, such as that of the cod. 1

So far as we are aware, no work has been hitherto reported on the vitamin content of oysters with the exception of that published by Randoin 2 on the antiscorbutic factor. They found that oysters contain this vitamin in abundance.

By means of feeding tests with rats, we have found that oysters are rich also in vitamins A and B In order to obtain uniform samples, fresh oysters were ground in a frozen condition. Quantities of the frozen product equivalent to 0.5 gm., calculated on a dry basis, caused prompt resumption of growth when fed daily to rats that had declined in weight as a result of the lack of vitamin B in their basal ration. Experiments in progress indicate that smaller quantities are sufficient to meet the requirements of rats for this vitamin.

As little as 0.25 gm. of a product obtained by dehydrating fresh oysters at a temperature not exceeding 40° under reduced pressure, enabled rats to make a fair recovery from the results of vitamin A deficiency.

It mas found that during the process of dehydrating the oysters a change took place which caused a partial destruction of vitamin B. Whether this process also impaired the vitamin A value of the oysters is being investigated. Work is also in progress to estimate the vitamin content of clams, shrimp and other articles of sea food.