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Food and Drug Research Laboratories, Inc., Maspeth, New York
Chemical analysis showed that thiamine was destroyed to the extent of 92 and 98% in pork which was exposed to ionizing radiations at levels of 2.79 and 5.58 megarad, respectively. Unirradiated pork, when incorporated into diets at 35% on a dry weight basis contained sufficient thiamine to support normal growth and normal erythrocyte transketolase activity in rats. X-irradiated pork, unsupplemented with thiaminc, resulted in growth retardation of rats to the extent of 53 and 63% and a depression of erythrocyte transketolase to the extent of 83 and 94% (on a hexose basis) when fed to rats at 35% of the diet on a dry weight basis for a 4-week feeding period. Treatment of the rats fed the diet containing irradiated pork with thiamine hydrochloride resulted in a rapid resumption of the normal growth rate and a concomitant increase in erythrocyte transketolase activity.
2 Present address: Departments of Biochemistry and Medicine, Upstate Medical Center, State University of New York, Syracuse 10, New York.
3 Present address: Analytica Corporation, 118 East 28th Street, New York.
4 Present address: University of Wisconsin, Madison.
5 Present address: Astoria, New York.
Manuscript received 22 March 1961.