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U.S. Department of Energy
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ON THE NUTRITIVE VALUE OF THE MAJOR NUTRIENTS OF IRRADIATED FOODS AND APPRAISAL OF THE TOXICITY OF IRRADIATED FOODS. Progress Report No. 15 for period September 21, 1958-March 15, 1959

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:4267966

It was demonstrated th-it the rat docs require dieatary vitamin K on certain diets, including irradiated beef diets. Vitamin K deficiency Memorrhagic syndromc) can be produced in rats ir the diet is very low in vitamin K and if coprophagy is prevented. lrradiation of beef results in the destruction of vitumin K and production of new compounds, such as the carbonyls. Thcse appear to render the feces unacceptable to the rat and thereby coprophagy is reduced. Carbonyls do not seem to interfere with the absorption of dictary fat-soluble vitamin K. Carbonyl compounds such as are produced in beef due to irradiation have no metabolic antivitamin K effect. This conclusion is based on a study of plasma prothrombin times as:iffected by injections of carbonyls and steam distillates of irradiated beef extract. Prolonged prothrombin times and hemorrhages resulting in rats due to carbonyl ingestion can be effectively prevented by vitamin K s upplementation. Not only the solvent extract of the ii- radiated beef but also its residue causes hemorrhage. In either case, vitamin ( K supplementation can protect the rat. If mixed with irradiated beef vitamin K seems to be destroyed or inactivated by some component of the irradiated beef. Two of 8 male rats fed irradiated beef diet to which 2.5 ic g of vitamin K/sub 3/ per gm of diet was added during mixing, died from hemorrhage. This diet contained adequate amounts of essential fatty acids and vitamin E besides other nutricnts required for the rat. Uneooked irradiated beef, like the autoclaved irradiated beef, produces vitamin K deficiency in the male rat. Methionine or lard supplementation of the (vitamin K-free) irradiated beef diets does not protect the rat from the hemorrhagic condition. We have developed a vitamin K-low synthetic diet which produces vitamin K deficiency in the rat in about l0 days. By preventing coprophagy we can produce the hemorrhagic diathesis in about 5 days. (auth)

Research Organization:
Illinois. Univ., Urbana
NSA Number:
NSA-13-013143
OSTI ID:
4267966
Report Number(s):
NP-7493
Country of Publication:
Country unknown/Code not available
Language:
English