Naturally occurring vitamin D3 in fish products analysed by HPLC, using vitamin D2 as an international standard.

A chemical method for the analysis of naturally occurring vitamin D is proposed. The unsaponifiable matter of oils and tissues is prepared, cholesterol is partly removed by double precipitation at low temperature in methanol. The vitamin D fraction is collected on an adsorption column by high performance liquid chromatography. The fraction is further purified and the vitamins D2 and D3 are separated on a partition column (reverse phase) by HPLC. Recovery was 89 to 93%, standard deviation 3%. The only vitamin D analogue found in fish oils, livers and fillets, was cholecalciferol (D3). Hence, ergocalciferol (D2) could be used as an internal standard. The provitamins ergosterol and 7-dehydrocholesterol, as well as the previtamins, were separated from the vitamin D-fraction on the adsorption column. Results in the range 0.050 to 134 microgram D3 per gram (2 to 5360 I.U. per gram) are given. One cod liver oil was analysed in a rat bioassay, giving supporting results.