Vitamins

Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin) belongs to the group of water-soluble vitamins. It cannot be produced by the human body and must therefore be ingested with food. Only small quantities of vitamin B12 are required by the body, however it plays and important role in our nervous system, has a protective effect on our cardiovascular system and plays an important part in nucleotide biosynthesis, absorption of iron and the metabolism of amino acids. A lack of vitamin B12 can cause pernicious anemia and neurological symptoms.

Biotin (also known as vitamin B7 or vitamin H) is an important nutritional factor and animal feed ­additive. Biotin occurs naturally in milk, dairy products, eggs, oat flakes and nuts, to state but a few. It is highly important for the metabolism of humans and animals, as it is involved as a coenzyme in important processes such as gluconeogenisis, biosynthesis of fatty acids and the metabolism of amino acids. Biotin deficiency causes inhibition of growth in mammals, loss of appetite and poor utilisation of nutrients, for example due to changes in the intestinal flora. In the advanced stage, avitaminosis manifests itself with loss of hair, dermatitis and signs of paralysis. The biotin requirement for adults is between 30 – 60 µg biotin per day.

Folic acid (formerly known as vitamin B9 or vitamin B11) belongs to the group of water-soluble vitamins. It cannot be produced by the human body and must therefore be ingested with food. Examples of sources of folic acid are green leafy vegetables, yeast, wheat germs and whole grain products, to name but a few. Folic acid plays a major role in all growth and cell division processes in the body. An appropriate intake of folic acid during pregnancy is important, for example to prevent neural tube defects. In some countries there are agreements to enrich bread, cereals, flour, rice and other grain products with various concentrations of folic acid in order to improve the vitamin status of the population.

Niacin (also known as vitamin B3) belongs to the group of water-soluble vitamins. Low concentrations of this can be produced by the human body from the amino acid tryptophan, however larger concentrations must be ingested via food. Niacin primarily occurs in foods such as poultry, fish, fungi and dairy products. The vitamin plays an important role in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Niacin deficiency can cause skin changes and inflammation of the mucous membranes of the mouth and the gastrointestinal tract.

Pantothenic acid (also known as vitamin B5) belongs to the group of water-soluble vitamins. It cannot be produced by the human body and must therefore be ingested with food. Foods which contain pantothenic acid are primarily offal such as liver and kidneys, whole-grain products, fruit, vegetables, milk and fish. Vitamin B5 plays an important role in the decomposition of coenzyme A and is involved in the creation of carbohydrates and fats. A lack of pantothenic acid can cause tiredness, immunodeficiency and depression.

L-ascorbic acid (also known under the name vitamin C) is used a vitamin as well as an antioxidant and preservative in the food industry. Scurvy can develop in humans that have a vitamin C deficiency. Since vitamin C is partially converted in food into the biologically-active L-dehydroascorbic acid, both substances must be determined in a test system. The VitaFast® Vitamin C test (L-ascorbic acid) (Art. No. P1010) can be used to detect vitamin C in food. This comprehensively-validated test is an easy-to-perform enzymatic test in a microtitre plate format for the quantitative analysis of vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) in food, pharmaceutical products and other sample materials. The test also enables the important analysis of the overall level of vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid + L-dehydroascorbic acid).

Inositol is frequently found in food, animal feed and pharmaceutical products. It was previously categorized as belonging to the vitamin-B complex (as Vitamin B8). In metabolism, inositol is an important building block of different signal transmission molecules and lipids. Since inositol is not an essential building block, but can be produced from glucose in the metabolism, it is now known as a vitamin-like substance. Inositol is a hexavalent cyclic alcohol and has nine isomers, which have the same molecular formula C6H12O6. The most natural isomer is myo-inositol. The level of inositol in food is partially regulated by laws, if inositol is added. In energy drinks there is a legally-specified upper limit of 200 mg/l (§ 4 para. 2 FrSaftErfrischGtrV [Fruit juice and soft drink regulation]). The concentrations must also be examined for baby food if there is an addition of inositol.

To complete the portfolio of test kits for vitamin detection, we also offer test systems for the quantification of vitamin B1 (Thiamin), vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) and vitamin B6 (Pyridoxin).