According to a recent study published in the journal “Exploring Food”, an international team from Israel, Iceland, Denmark, and Austria used advanced biotechnology to cultivate spirulina containing bioactive vitamin B12, which is equivalent in content to beef. This is the first report that spirulina contains bioactive vitamin B12.
New research is expected to address one of the most common micronutrient deficiencies. More than 1 billion people worldwide suffer from B12 deficiency, and relying on meat and dairy products to obtain sufficient B12 (2.4 micrograms per day) poses a great challenge to the environment.
Scientists have proposed using spirulina as a substitute for meat and dairy products, which is more sustainable. However, traditional spirulina contains a form that humans cannot biologically utilize, which hinders its feasibility as a substitute.
The team has developed a biotechnology system that utilizes photon management (improved lighting conditions) to enhance the production of active vitamin B12 in spirulina, while also producing other bioactive compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune enhancing functions. This innovative method can produce nutrient rich biomass while achieving carbon neutrality. The content of bioactive vitamin B12 in purified culture is 1.64 micrograms/100 grams, while in beef it is 0.7-1.5 micrograms/100 grams.
The results indicate that controlling the photosynthesis of spirulina through light can produce the required level of active vitamin B12 for the human body, providing a sustainable alternative to traditional animal derived foods.