They did that with guinea pigs in testing for vitamin C content in food (if the rodents got scurvy, the food had no acerbic effect)

Unfortunately when they were fed beef they starved, so beef was recorded as "not tested" USDA still records beef as "not tested, presumed zero)

I have eaten only beef (every day), eggs (a dozen two weeks in 5), yoghurt (Greek style) (1kg monthly at most), fish (twice a year on holidays at the beach), wine (three occasions in four weeks) and occasionally beer (a couple of litres once a month) for 3 years - none of which are recognised as having vitamin C. Scurvy sets in in a month or so without vitamin C, and kills a few weeks after untreated symptoms, so were my foods actually devoid of the vitamin I would be years dead. I guess I'm a better guinea pig than a guinea pig is for acerbic testing.