VITAMINE CONTENT OF FOODSTUFFS 243 



substituted by something cheaper. This finding is of practical 

 significance, since in the anticipation of scurvy epidemics, canned 

 tomatoes, which appear to keep well, may be used, though it should 

 be remembered (Hess and linger, I.e. 631) that the activity decreases 

 on cooking. Daniels and McClurg (I.e. 654) believe that the canning 

 proces does not destroy vitamine B; it seems to us that an absolute 

 proof of this has not been obtained in canning, although they admit 

 that changes initiated during canning may progress automatically dur- 

 ing storage. Campbell and Chick (669) prepared cabbage and beans 

 in a manner similar to that used in canning, and found that these 

 substances lost about 66 per cent and 75 to 90 per cent of their 

 activity, respectively. Vitamines A and B were also affected although 

 the investigators explained it by losses of vitamine A into the cook- 

 ing water. When this was given to guinea pigs, it resulted in better 

 growth. We must assume, therefore, with Campbell and Chick, 

 that vitamine A went over into the cooking water. 

 .N 



AGEING AND STORING 



The last factors to be taken up in this connection are those of ageing 

 and storage. Hulshoff Pol (670) could cure human beriberi with 

 puree of peas, although peas, which were three years old, were entirely 

 inactive. Weill, Mouriquand and Michel (I.e. 392) found the same 

 to be true of denatured meat, stored for 14 months. For cats, this 

 meat was much more harmful than freshly denatured meat. Delf 

 and Skelton (671) dried cabbage and stored it at ordinary tem- 

 perature; after 2 to 3 weeks, the preparation lost 93 per cent of its 

 activity and after 3 months, 96 to 97 per cent. Hess and Unger (672) 

 found no vitamine C in prunes, while orange peel was active even 

 after 3 months. The storage of orange juice has a definite influence, 

 since in old juice, only half of the activity remained. Dried carrots, 

 kept for 3 to 5 weeks and for 7 months, were quite inactive. Hess 

 and Unger concluded, from this that dried vegetables actually retain 

 their nutritive value, though as regards vitamine C, they cannot 

 replace the fresh natural products. The ageing applies not only to 

 storing and drying, but also to fresh vegetables. In this respect, 

 Hess and Unger (I.e. 631) investigated carrots of various ages. While 

 young carrots retained their activity even after cooking and drying 

 in a current of air, and storing for 3 months, this was not the case 

 with old carrots. 



