cod-liver oil
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cod-liver oil
Cod-Liver Oil
a product obtained from the liver of fishes of the cod family (Gadidae). Cod-liver oil is a clear, thick liquid having a characteristic odor. It is pale yellow or yellow-brown in color. The oil consists mainly of triglycerides of unsaturated carboxylic acids; it also contains small amounts of free fatty acids, cholesterol, phosphatides, and vitamins A and D.
Cod-liver oil is used in medicine and animal husbandry as a source of vitamins A and D. One milliliter contains 200–500 IU (international units) of vitamin A and 80–100 IU of vitamin D. Cod-liver oil is used internally to prevent rickets and vitamin A deficiency. A similar oil, obtained from the subcutaneous fat of aquatic mammals (whales, porpoises, and seals), is used externally to treat skin disorders.
In animal husbandry, cod-liver oil is used to accelerate animal growth and development and to prevent and treat rickets and xerophthalmia. Although the oil is fed mainly to young animals, it may be used to treat fowl of all ages. The oil is stored in cool, dark places, because the vitamin D is converted to poisonous toxisterol when exposed to light.
Cod-liver oil obtained from wastes in the evisceration and processing of fish is used in leather and soap production.