[Nature of the vitamin composition of mare’s milk and koumiss depending on the time of year].

The research demonstrates that the vitamin content in mare’s milk and koumiss, a fermented product of the milk, is dependent on the season, and it also reveals that the process of transforming mare’s milk into koumiss reduces the amounts of certain vitamins.

Seasonal Variation in Vitamin Content

• The researchers observed that the concentration of certain vitamins, specifically vitamins E, C, thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin, in mare’s milk and koumiss varies according to the time of year.
• The researchers noted that the highest levels of vitamins E, C, and niacin were present in May and June.

Effect of Technological Processing

• Of interest to the researchers was how the technological processing of mare’s milk into koumiss affected the vitamin content.
• They discovered that this process leads to a decrease in the levels of vitamin C and niacin.
• It appears that processing not only alters the physical state of the milk but also negatively impacts its nutritional quality, at least with regards to these specific vitamins.

Dehydroascorbic Acid in Mare’s Milk and Koumiss

• Another key finding was the presence of dehydroascorbic acid in mare’s milk and koumiss.
• The researchers found that this acid, which is an oxidized form of vitamin C, was present in considerable quantities, especially during the summer months.
• While the presence of dehydroascorbic acid does not compromise the nutritional value of the milk or koumiss, it does indicate that the content and composition of vitamins are subject to change with conditions and processing methods.