The Vitamin B6 Content of Fresh and Stored Shell Eggs

Abstract

FEW data are available for the vitamin B6 content of eggs, and none have come to the authors’ attention for stored eggs. The scarcity of data on the vitamin B6 content of various foods may have been caused, at least partially, by the complexity of the problem. Unlike most vitamins, several compounds have vitamin B6 activity, and different assay microorganisms behave differently towards them. Although most animals are believed to respond similarly to pyridoxine, pyridoxal, and pyridoxamine, only a few microorganisms are known to do so. Among those that do are some yeasts and the “pyridoxineless” mutant of the mold Neurospora sitophila. Cheldelin and Williams (1942) reported 0.22 μg. of vitamin B6 per gm. of fresh whole egg by yeast assay. Schneider et al. (1939) determined the relative values of different foods as sources of vitamin B6 for the rat and classed egg yolk as high, but the albumen was .