VITAMIN A AS AN ADDITIVE AND ITS ANALYSIS

The term vitamin was used by Polish biochemist Casimir Funk in 1912. In general terms, vitamins are organic compounds found in food, with the ability to dissolve in fat and water, and are an indispensable part of healthy living. In today's world, it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep pace with a lifestyle characterized by excessive hustle, traffic, and stress. At this point, balanced and healthy nutrition gains importance, and we receive daily news about new supplements, vitamins, and special foods. They are produced in high concentrations as additives or premixes; from there they are added to relevant food products. The content quantity in samples is analyzed in laboratories to be controlled. Analysis principles are generally based on extraction; at the final stage, the quantity is determined in an HPLC device with an appropriate detector. The figure below contains a summary of the experimental flow of vitamin analysis. Vitamin A is one of the fat-soluble vitamins. It is a good antioxidant. It is especially among the additives frequently added to flours. It is one of the most commonly used vitamin additives for enriching flour itself. Results are generally given in IU/kg. In addition to IU/kg as the most basic unit; it is possible to provide results using other vitamin units. In this sense, units such as Vitamin A acetate and Vitamin A palmitate come across. The table below uses the most commonly used Vitamin A units and conversion factors.

Table Vitamin A Units

Vitamin A is extremely sensitive to light and oxygen. For this reason, work should be performed in darkness, and as far as possible away from oxygen contact. To provide a dark environment, glass materials should be coated with aluminum foil or amber glass material should be used. To protect from oxygen, a nitrogen flow should be provided over the liquid portion during the extraction period. Extraction and saponification play an important role at the foundation of the analysis. However, factors such as the way the sample is prepared and the incorrect calculation of the amount to be added to the sample also affect the results, as much as the analysis itself. Nevertheless, other factors affecting Vitamin A analysis results are given below: • Improper preparation of the premix related to Vitamin A analysis, lack of homogeneity, • Improper dosing of the premix to the flour sample; failure of the pump used in dosing to perform its function fully, • Insufficient homogeneous mixing of the sample, • Storage conditions of the premix and sample (Vitamin A is particularly affected by light and air). If the problems mentioned above occur, the desired Vitamin A value in the sample may not be achieved. To prevent these from happening, control should be provided by performing or having analyses performed on the sample at certain intervals. In this way, whatever the source of error is identified from the beginning; both the manufacturer and the consumer will be prevented from suffering losses. Büşra Gökdemir Chemistry Department Manager Saniter