The available niacin values of foods for rats and their relation to analytical values

A bioassay for niacin was developed using weight gain or "gain/food eaten" of young rats as the response measure. The best basal diet contained casein 70 and gelatin 65.5 g/kg together with supplementary tryptophan to a total of 0.97 g/kg and other amino acids to meet requirements. After a 4-day depletion period, rats gained ca. 1 g/day over the next 20 days on the basal diet alone, or ca. 7 g/day and 12 mg/kg added nicotinic acid. Test foods were added at two levels with diets adjusted to keep constant amino acid composition. The results were compared with chemical analyses for total niacin (i.e., in extracts prepared from samples digested with alkali) and for free niacin (using extracts made at neutral pH) with separation of nicotinic acid and nicotinamide on thin-layer chromatograms or Sephadex columns. Eight samples of mature cooked cereals, with their niacin largely in bound forms, gave rat assay values equivalent to ca. 35% of their total niacin content. Alkali-cooked tortilas, steamed sweet corn, beans and liver, with their niacin all in free form, gave assay values close to their total niacin content. Baked potatoes and peanut flour were intermediate in both respects.