Studies on Margarine enriched with Vitamin A

Part 2. Effects of Milk Components and Some Emulsifiers on Vitamin A in Margarine

Abstract

As previously reported, the skim milk is very effective in preventing the deterioration of vitamin A which is to added to margarine. In this paper, the main components of skim milk were examined on their protecting powers. Proteins, such as casein, albumin and globulin were proved to be very effective, where as lactose and the ash of milk promoted the oxidation of vitamin A conversely.
From the above mentioned results, several water-soluble proteins of another origins, such as casein, albumin, globulin, gelatin and gluten were examined and all of them were confirmed to be effective.
It was supposed that these proteins improved the emulsion of margarine and that the improved state served the protection of vitamin A from the oxidation. However, monoglyceride, a fat-soluble emulsifier, showed little protecting power and when it was used in high concentration, the vitamin A oxidation increased inversely. Therefore, it is not obvious whether the state of emulsion of margarine has anyting to do with the preservation and deterioration of vitamin A or not.
The mechanism of protection of vitamin A by these proteins is now under investigation. Gelatin was more effective than the ordinary emulsifiers, monoglyceride, lecithin and combination of them.