AOAC SPIFAN Stakeholder Panel Meeting Book (March 12, 2020)

Vitamin A Introduction and Background

Vitamin A includes Retinol and Retinyl esters Vitamin A – growth and development, vision and immune function Excess retinol has become a concern and can cause liver and bone damage, hair loss, double vision, vomiting, headaches and bulging fontanels in infants. Dietary vitamin A has two sources: pre-formed vitamin A and pro-vitamin A (carotenoids). Carotenoid conversion in infants is not established and is not included in Vitamin A equivalents. Conversion - 1 mg all-trans retinol = retinol equivalent (RE) = 3.33 IU vitamin A Current Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved levels of adequacy and of upper limits in infant formulas for vitamin A are 250 and 750 IU per 100 kcal; 65–225 mg RE/100 kcal

Forms of Vitamin A

Retinol: C 20 H 30 O, 286.5 g/mol CAS: 68-26-8 EC: 200-683-7

Retinyl acetate: C 22 H 32 O 2 , 328.5 g/mol CAS: 127-47-9 EC: 204-844-2

Retinyl palmitate: C 36 H 60 O 2 , 524.9 g/mol CAS: 79-81-2 EC: 201-228-5