Skip to main content
ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #161662
Title: PHYLLOQUINONE (VITAMIN K1) CONTENT OF VEGETABLES

Author
item DAMON, MOLLY - TUFTS-HNRCA
item ZHANG, NANCY - TUFTS-HNRCA
item Haytowitz, David
item BOOTH, SARAH - TUFTS-HNRCA

Submitted to: Journal of Food Composition and Analysis
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/14/2004
Publication Date: 2/11/2005
Citation: Damon, M., Zhang, N., Haytowitz, D.B., Booth, S. 2005. Phylloquinone (Vitamin K1) content of vegetables. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis. 18:751-758. Available online at http://www.sciencedirect.com doi:10.1016/j.jfca.2004.07.004

Interpretive Summary: Assessment of vitamin K dietary intakes has been limited by incomplete vitamin K food composition data for the U.S. food supply. The vitamin K concentrations of a variety of 218 geographically representative vegetables were determined. Green leafy and flower vegetables including broccoli, broccoli raab, spinach, and certain lettuces, contained more vitamin K than raw tubers and roots. Iceberg lettuce, a primary dietary source of vitamin K, contained less than previously listed in nutrient databases. Potential factors affecting vitamin K concentrations include processing and varietal type of leafy vegetables.

Technical Abstract: Assessment of vitamin K (VK) dietary intakes has been limited by incomplete VK food composition data for the U.S. food supply. The phylloquinone (VK-1 or vitamin K1) concentrations of a variety of geographically representative vegetables (n=218) were determined by reversed-phase HPLC with fluorescent detection. Green leafy and flower vegetables including broccoli, broccoli raab, spinach, and certain lettuces, contained >100mg phylloquinone/100g vegetable. In contrast, raw tubers and roots contained <10mg phylloquinone/100g vegetable. Iceberg lettuce, a primary dietary source of phylloquinone, contained 24.1mg phylloquinone/100g vegetable, which is less than previously listed in nutrient databases. Potential factors affecting phylloquinone concentrations include processing and varietal type of leafy vegetables.