INTRODUCTION

James Lind, a British naval surgeon, in the first clinical trail ever performed, demonstrated in the 18th century that citrus fruit juices prevented and cured scurvy, which was till then a scourage among sailors. The specific chemical name of vitamin c is ascorbic acid given to this substance because of its antiscorbutic or antiscurvy properties. Ascorbic acid i.e vitamin c is a weak acid, odorless, white crystalline solid that melts at 190-192. Its empirical formula is C6H8O6. It has a slightly sour taste. Ascorbic acid is very soluble in water 33 gm. dissolving in 100 ml, and it is soluble in alcohol and in methyl alcohol. It is insoluble in the usual organic solvents. Vitamin C is optically active, having a specific rotation of +23-24 in water and of +48 in methyl alcohol. It has an absorption maximum at 265 mu and a small band between 350 and 400 mu. Although vitamin C is stable in solid form, it is relatively readily oxidixed in solution to dehydro ascorbic acid.

IN NUTRITION
Vitamin C is necessary in human nutrition because it keeps cement substance lying between the cells of the tissues of the body in proper condition. As a result of this action it prevents score and bleeding gums, hemorrhages through tissue and some forms of anemia. It assists in the proper development of bones structure, normal calcification & muscle tone. Difficulties are establishing requirement for vitamin c involves question about individual tissue needs & whether minimum or optimum intakes are desired. Studies indicate than an intake are desired. Studies indicate than an intake of 30-40 mg/day is sufficient to maintain a suitable body pool of vitamin c in healthy adults. The concentration of vitamin c is greater in the more metabolically active tissue such as adrenal gland, brain, kidney, liver, pancreases, thymus & spleen than in less active tissues. Helps in formation of hemoglobin & development of RBC. Deficiency of vitamin c creates many problems &illness in the body like Scurvy. Vitamin C can be use in wound healing, common cold, cancer, rheumatic fever, hemorrhagic, disease of newborn, fever & diarrhea, post race respiratory tract infection, pressure sores, etc.

DESTRUCTION
Vegetable cells contain an enzyme called ascorbic oxidase. When vegetable are cut fine, a greater quantity of the enzyme is released & more vitamin C is destroyed. The rate of enzymatic oxidation

increases as the temperature is raised & therefore graded heating of vegetables destroyed on boiling. If vegetables are immersed directly in boiling water, the enzyme is destroyed immediately and hence no loss of vitamin C occurs. Vitamin C is more easily destroyed then other vitamin. During cooking, loss of vitamin C occurs due to: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Cutting the vegetables fine Using excess water that is later thrown away Gradually heating the vegetables rather than putting them in boiling water Over cooking Keeping vegetable hot for a long time before they served Add sodium bicarbonate in order to preserve the color of vegetables as alkalinity destroys vitamin C.

Ascorbic acid has been used in the fortification of a number of foods & for restoration of other foods, it has been included as a component of orange drinks and has been added to orange juice undergoing in order to standardize the product produced but the vitamin C content of food stuffs.