Kazimierz (Casimir) Funk – Pioneer in Vitaminology
– 101 Anniversary of His Discovery – Special Note

Stanisław Berger*

Faculty of Human Nutrition and Consumer Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW), Nowoursynowska str. 159c, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland

Key words: vitamins, co-enzymes, hypo- and a-vitaminoses, dietary reference intakes (DRI), tolerable upper intake levels (UL), thiamine, beri-beri Short life story and scientific activity of Kazimierz (Casimir) Funk is presented. His achievements and pioneer work in vitaminology is summated on the occasion of 101 anniversary of the introduction of this topic into food and nutrition sciences.

His long biochemical scientific itinerary is presented starting from Switzerland, France (twice), UK, USA (twice) and Poland. Most of his discover-ies or studies were linked with vitamins, but also with other nutrients (carbohydrates, amino acids, trace elements) or bioactive substances e.g. hormones and their synthesis. It is worth mentioning that Dr. Funk looked always at food constituents as factors affecting health and/ or preventing diseases.

We in Poland are very proud of his scientific achievements considering that Dr. Funk is the significant milestone in developing food and nutrition science worldwide.