The influence of latitude on the concentration of vitamin D3 and 25-hydroxy-vitamin D3 in Australian red meat.

There is little information on the vitamin D content of Australian red meat or on the possible influence of latitude on this content. To determine the content of vitamin D3 and 25-hydroxy-vitamin D3 (25OHD3), lamb and beef were analysed from 34° S with LC-IT-MS. To investigate the possible influence of latitude on vitamin D in meat, the lean meat and fat from five cuts of beef were analysed from 17° S and 41° S. Lamb contained 0.10μg vitamin D3/100g and 0.20μg 25OHD3/100g lean meat, while beef contained 0.12μg vitamin D3 and 0.27μg 25OHD3/100g (lean meat). Latitude had no effect on the vitamin D3 (P=0.21) or 25OHD3 (P=0.29) content of lean beef, but fat from cattle in the 17° S latitude group contained significantly higher (P<0.01) concentrations of vitamin D3 than fat from the 41° S group of cattle.