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Riboflavin the essential yellow!

What is it?
Riboflavin is the well known Vitamin B2, it can be found in food and used as a dietary supplement. It is a water-soluble yellow compound that used to be called lactochrome or Vitamin G. It was discovered in 1920, isolated un 1933 and first made in 1935. It can be synthesized by plants, yeasts, and procaryotic cells, while mammals can obtain it by consuming plant-based foods.


Chemical Structure
The name "Riboflavin" comes from ribose (the sugar whose reduced form, ribitol, appears in structure) and flavus which means yellow in Latin, because of the ring-moiety (Isoalloxazine ring) which imparts the yellow color to the oxidized molecule. The isoalloxazine ring is a focal point for electron transfers, which allow riboflavin to take its three redox forms (fully oxidized/quinone, one-electron reduced/semi-quinone and two electrons reduced/hydroquinone).
Additionally, riboflavin is the precursor of flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), which are very important flavoproteins taking part in a variety of essential enzymic reactions.








Necessity for Humans
Primary deficiencies of dietary riboflavin have wide implications for other vitamins, as flavin coenzymes are involved in the metabolism of five vitamins: folic acid (B9), pyridoxine (B6), niacin (B3) vitamins K and D.
It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, the safest and most effective medicines needed in a health system.

  • It plays a vital role in maintaining the body’s energy supply
  • It is required by the body for cellular respiration
  • It can prevent migraines and riboflavin deficiency
  • It can slow the progression of corneal ectasia by strengthening corneal tissue
  • It can induce melanin formation in the skin
People with riboflavin deficiency typically have deficiencies of other nutrients. Severe riboflavin deficiency can impair the metabolism of other nutrients, especially other B vitamins, through diminished levels of flavin coenzymes.

The maximum amount of riboflavin that can be absorbed from a single dose is 27 mg, which is 16-fold higher the recommended dietary allowance (RDA).



Where to Riboflavin
The best food sources of riboflavin are plant foods, animal sources, green vegetables and generally foods like eggs, milk, cheese, mushrooms, and almonds.
After processes such as bleaching, milling and fermentation occur physical removal of the vitamin. But it seems to be thermal stable, so microwave and infrared irradiation don't affect it.

List of 10 highest foods in Riboflavin:

1. Beef
2. Fortified Tofu
3. Low-Fat Milk
4. Salmon
5. Mushrooms
6. Lean Pork Chops
7. Spinach
8. Almonds
9. Avocados
10. Eggs

Reactivity with Electromagnetic radiation (light)
Riboflavin can absorb UV/Vis radiation at 220, 266, 375 and 447 nm and emit radiation at 524 nm. So it has fluorescent properties.

Gore et al. 2014 (DOI 10.1167/iovs.14-13975)

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References: wikipedia.com ~ myfooddata.com ~ Sciencedirect.com ~ ods.od.nih.gov



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