[Reflections on some vitamins and a modern vitaminology]

Certain aspects of the present state of vitamin research are treated with special regard to a modern interpretation of the concept of vitamin and to questions concerning the utilization of recent findings by the food industry and other sciences. A classification of vitamins according to their solubility and functional properties is discussed. Recent findings on the relationships between tocopherols and tocotrienols and on bioquinones are dealt with. Furthermore, the significance of some vitamin-like substances (such as choline, S-methylmethionine and pangamic acid) and their biochemical importance for the animal and the human organism are considered.