Vitamin A Content in Various Animal Livers

Values as fed per gram fresh liver

Copyright © Ch. M. Ruessheim, 2002. All Rights reserved.

  IU/g fresh liver, mean lowest value highest value Country Year Samples Remarks
Beef, 1g 510 97 1263 D 1989 . Souci
Beef, 1g 733 200 1600 Denmark 1991 29 > 2 years
Beef, 1g 667 33 1600 UK 1990 18 .
Calf, 1g 1134 245 2153 CH 1991 18 .
Calf, 1g 381 119 1698 CH 1997 40 .
Calf, 1g 730 277 1327 D 1989 . Souci
Calf, 1g 333 67 900 Denmark 1991 21 < 2 years
Calf, 1g 900 66 3000 UK 1990 23 .
Chicken, 1g 427 190 670 D 1989 . Souci
Chicken, 1g 333 317 467 UK 1990 16 .
Lamb, 1g 1033 433 3667 UK 1990 17 .
Pork, 1g 1303 187 1870 D 1989 . Souci
Pork, 1g 500 100 1733 Denmark 1991 189 5-7 months
Pork, 1g 2633 800 4566 Denmark 1991 10 > 1 year
Pork, 1g 567 100 833 UK 1990 15 .
Sheep, 1g 317 180 507 D 1989 . Souci
Turkey, 1g 1500 - - UK 1990 1 .
 

Vitamin A activity is measured in International Units (IU) and different vitamin A compounds have different activities:

1 IU = 0.300 mcg vitamin A alcohol (retinol)
0.344 mcg vitamin A acetate (retinyl acetate)
0.549 mcg vitamin A palmitate (retinyl palmitate)

or, measuring the activity of 1 mg of each compound:

1 mg retinol = 3333 IU vitamin A
1 mg retinyl acetate = 2907 IU vitamin A
1 mg retinyl palmitate = 1818 IU vitamin A

 

Reference Sources:

  1. Kolb E., Probleme eines hohen Gehalts an Vitamin A in der Leber von Kälbern, Rindern, Schafen und Schweinen für den Verbraucher. Umfang der Speicherung und teratogener Wirkungsmechanismus. Berl. Münch. Tierärztl. Wschr. 107, 342-347 (1994)

  2. Kessler Jürg; Morel Isabelle, Vitamin A-Konzentration in Kalbslebern: Eine Praxiserhebung. Agrarforschung, 5 (5), 225-227, 1998

  3. Leth Torben; Skotte Jacobsen Jytte, Vitamin A in Danish Pig, Calf, and Ox Liver. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis 6, 3-9 (1993)

  4. Pikkarainen Seija A; Parviainen Markku T., Vitamin A Levels in Bovine and Pork Liver. Internat. J. Vit. Nutr. Res. 63 (1993), 86-88

  5. Scotter MJ, Thorpe SA, Reynolds SL, Wilson LA & Lewis DJ: Survey of Animal Livers for Vitamin A Content. Food Additives and Contaminants, 1992, Vol. 9, No. 3, 237-242

 

 

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Last updated: January 19, 2002