Riboflavin compounds in molluscs were extracted by hot water. Column chromatography using a resorcinol and formaldehyde resin (R-15 resin) gave a purified and concentrated flavin extracts of molluscs.Thin-layer chromatography was used for the qualitative identification of flavin compounds. It showed that mussels contained FMN, FAD and some free riboflavin.In quantitative estimation of total flavins, the fluorescence of lumilavin porduced by photolysis was applied. Purified sample extracts were pre-extracted with chloroform bcfore photolysis and an internal standard was used. Taking the 95% confidence interval of the average regression line for the fluorescence of lumiflavin formed from riboflavin,FMN and FAD, these compounds were equally converted to lumiflavin below the concentration of 5.4 x 10-9 Mole/cm3 (equal to 2.0 μg/cm3 of riboflavin).The estimated amounts of total flavins in mussels, scallops, cockles and oysters were 1.3, 2.3, 1.6 and 1.6 μg/g of wet meat weight respectively. From the nutritional point of view, mussels are a cheap food source of riboflavin in the meat group.
