The influence of different casein preparations in riboflavin-deficient diets upon the appearance of cataract

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Abstract
7 caseins in riboflavin-deficient diets were fed to groups of rats which were compared by 5 criteria: average maximum growth, average time required to reach maximum wt., average time of appearance of cataract, incidence of cataract and avg. period of survival. 2 commercial "vitamin-free" caseins and a crude casein washed with acidulated water gave nearly identical responses. A crude casein washed with dilute alc. gave slightly longer growth and survival, and the appearance of cataract was somewhat delayed; washing with dilute alc. failed to remove the last trace of riboflavin. 2 commercial purified caseins, widely used in expts. upon the B-vits., promoted much greater and longer continued growth, and permitted longer survival, and there was lower incidence and delayed appearance of cataract. These 2 caseins appeared to contain significant amts. of riboflavin since eluates exhibited a marked greenish fluorescence, similar to that produced by riboflavin. The failure of some investigators to observe cataract in riboflavin deficiency is probably due, in part, to the contamination of their caseins with riboflavin.