A Method for Measuring Folate in Food and Its Application to a Hospital Diet

Abstract

A method is described for the assay with L. casei of folate in foods. Ascorbic acid was employed during extraction and in the growth medium, and the assay was performed without conjugase. The technique is based on that of Herbert (4). It was used to assay the folate content of 110 items of a hospital diet as served to patients, and a number of foods uncooked, as well as cooked in the laboratory, were also analyzed. A small number of foods were assayed before and after conjugase and comparison made with published values.