From: FoodPhD@aol.com
Date: Thu, 29 Jan 1998 23:35:16 EST
To: pinhole@exploratorium.edu
Subject: Re: effects of vitamins
Mary,
My food chemistry books are at school, but as I recall, I.U.s
(International Units) are a relative quantity used to measure biochemical
activity compared to some reference standard. They are not an actual amount
of material. Enzymes and other biologically active molecules are also often
reported in units of activity and not mass quantities like milligrams. For
vitamins, these are usually used for the fat soluble ones: A, E, D, and K.
The water soluble vitamins (B complex and C) are usually given in mass units
because they are not stored in the body like the fat soluble ones are.
As an alumnus of VirginiaTech, I hope I got that right. You might also check
with the Biochemistry dept. at U.Va, or the Food Science dept. at Tech.
Hope that helps.
Rob Kravets
(FoodPhD@aol.com)
Benicia HS
Benicia, CA 94510