Cod liver oil is extracted from the livers of cod fish. The fish livers are separated, washed, minced, and steamed to extract the oil. The steaming process destroys the lipase enzyme. The oil is then cooled, centrifuged, and separated. Cod liver oil is a pale yellow, slightly fishy-smelling liquid that is a rich source of vitamins A and D. It contains fatty acid esters and is used as a nutritional supplement and to treat conditions like rickets and tuberculosis.

1. COD LIVER OIL
By
Miss.Gayatri Patra
Assistant Professor
EPCP,Bangalore,India

2. COD LIVER OIL
Synonym-Oleum morrhi
Biological Source-It is processed from fresh liver of cod fish, Gadus
morrhua and other species of Gadus.
Family-Gadidae.
Geographical Source-They are prepared in
Iceland,Germany,Denmark,Scotland and Britain.

3. METHOD OF PREPARATION
The fish are caught by nets, opened and livers are separated. The
healthy livers free from gall bladders are washed, minced, steamed in
steam jacketed vessels or kars at a temperature not exceeding 85°C for
half an hour, cooled and buried in snow for several days. Special barrels
are used for this cooling process, which result in separation of stearin
.The steaming of oil destroys enzyme lipase.The suspended materials
are removed by the centrifugation.

4. DESCRIPTION
Colour – Pale yellow thin liquid
Taste – Slightly fishy
Odour – Fishy
It is freely soluble in chloroform, ether,
carbon disulphide, and petroleum ether and
slightly soluble in alcohol.

5. CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS
i. It contains of vitamin A and D.
ii. The oil contains glyceryl ester of oleic, linoleic, gadoleic, myristic. Palmitic
and other acids.
iii. Cod liver oil also contains 7% eicosapentaenoic acid and 7%
olecosohexanoic acid.

6. USES
1. The oil is used as source of vitamins
2. As a nutritive
3. Treatment of Rickets and Tuberculosis.