Leicester University Press, Leicester. Not nutritionally essential for most species. Required by primates, guinea pigs, and certain Indian fruit-eating bats. Inadequate collagen synthesis leads to fragility, poor healing of blood capillaries - small hemorrhages under skin, bleeding gums. Bones become weak.
Teeth loosen, then fall out, as cartilage weakens.
Very low concentrations in animal tissues. Most nutrient-dense sources are green peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, strawberries, papayas, romaine lettuce, oranges, spinach and other greens. Major sources in American diet are oranges and orange juice, grapefruit and grapefruit juice, tomatoes and tomato juice, fortified juice drinks, tangerines, potatoes. Little cultural appreciation of fruits and vegetables. Heavy reliance on salted meats, biscuits.