The mackerels, Scomber japonicus (HOUTTYN), for this study were caught by purse sein net in Korea. In this paper, the seasonal variations of the oil content and Vitamin A concentration in oil in different parts of the mackerel, the distribution of the Vitamin A of viscera of that and physical and chemical constants of oil were discussed. The results are summarized as follows:
1. In the beginning of June, the liver weight increased rapidly and reached the maximum. In this period, the gonad weight was also maximum. It seemed that this phenomenon has influenced on the nutritional and physiological aspects of the spawning stage.
2. The Vitamin A concentration of liver oil reached the maximum value in the middle of July. In the most case, it was proportinate to the oil content in liver inversely.
3. The Vitamin A concentration of pyloric caeca oil reached the maximum Value in the late of July. It showed the tendency of being proportionate to the oil content in pyloric caeca inversely. And the Vitamin A concentration of intestine oil reached maximum value in the beginning of July.
4. The distribution average ratio of Vitamin A in liver, pyloric caeca, intestine, stomach and contents of stomach and gonad to the total Vitamin A in whole viscera were 60.8, 29.4, 5.7, 2.2, and 1.9 percentage. The seasonal variation of the distribution of Vitamin A in pyloric caeca to the amount of total Vitamin A in whole viscera was proportionate to that of liver inversely.
5. It seemed that there were no any corelation between the Vitamin A content and seasonal variation of the physical and chemical constants of viscera oil. But when the Vitamin A concentration was high, the refractive index, the amount of unsaponifiable matter and iodine value of viscera oil were also high.
6. On the extracting vitamin oil of viscera of mackerel, it is the most suitable period from the end of May to the middle of October. The liver, pyloric caeca and intestine of mackerel are valuable and the other parts of vicera are worthless as vitamin oil resources. It is probable that the whole viscera oil could also be utilized as vitamin-rich oil, if it were concentrated.
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