Researchers from Reichman University, along with collaborators from Iceland, Denmark, and Austria, have developed a method to cultivate Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) that produces biologically active vitamin B12 at levels comparable to beef, addressing a significant nutritional limitation of the algae. Published in the journal Discover Food, the study led by Dr. Asaf Tzachor utilized advanced biotechnology and controlled light conditions (photonic management) to encourage the production of active vitamin B12 in Spirulina, marking the first reported instance of such bioavailable vitamin B12 in this microalga. The resulting carbon-neutral biomass contained 1.64 μg of active vitamin B12 per 100 grams, within the range found in beef (0.7-1.5 μg per 100 grams).

The research also explored the potential scale of this technology, estimating that reallocating electricity currently used by heavy industry in Iceland could support the annual production of 277,950 tonnes of Spirulina biomass. This quantity could theoretically provide the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamin B12 for over 13.8 million children aged 1-3, with more ambitious scenarios potentially meeting the RDA for over 26.5 million children aged 1-3 and more than 50 million children aged 0-6 months. While these figures are projections based on possible scale-up scenarios, they highlight the nutritional potential of photosynthetically controlled Spirulina as a sustainable alternative to animal-sourced vitamin B12, should the technology be successfully expanded. Source

This is a summary. Read the original at sciencedaily.com.