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η-Tocopherol (7-Methyltocol) : a New Tocopherol in Rice

Abstract

RECENT publications have confirmed the existence of two previously unknown natural tocopherols in the lipid fractions of cereal grains (ɛ- and ζ-tocopherols) and have described methods for their separation by paper chromatography1–3. Thus six of the seven possible tocol structures produced by methylation of the tocopherol chroman nucleus have been identified, and it was of interest to search for the remaining tocopherol (7-methyltocol) among natural sources. In a comprehensive study of the vitamin E content of various foodstuffs, Harris, Quaife and Swanson4 reported some years ago that 50 per cent of the total tocopherols in rice were γ and δ-tocopherols. These authors used the diazocoupling method of analysis5 for this identification. Since this observation conflicted with our own observations on tocopherol patterns in cereal products, we have re-investigated the vitamin E content of rice.

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References

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GREEN, J., MARCINKIEWICZ, S. η-Tocopherol (7-Methyltocol) : a New Tocopherol in Rice. Nature 177, 86–87 (1956). https://doi.org/10.1038/177086b0

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