Researchers Develop Spirulina with Bioavailable Vitamin B12, Offering Sustainable Alternative to Meat
Scientists have successfully cultivated Spirulina, a blue-green algae, to produce biologically active vitamin B12 at levels comparable to beef. This breakthrough, detailed in the scientific journal Discover Food, addresses a significant nutritional limitation of traditional Spirulina, which contains a form of B12 not bioavailable to humans. The research team, led by Dr. Asaf Tzachor of Reichman University, utilized advanced biotechnology and controlled light conditions to achieve this. The resulting carbon-neutral Spirulina biomass contains 1.64 µg of active vitamin B12 per 100 grams, surpassing the 0.7-1.5 µg per 100 grams found in beef. This development could provide a sustainable solution to vitamin B12 deficiency, a condition affecting over a billion people globally, while reducing reliance on animal agriculture. The cultivated Spirulina also exhibited other beneficial compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune-boosting properties. 
