Scientists have found a way to grow Spirulina that produces biologically active vitamin B12 at levels comparable to beef, potentially overcoming one of the biggest nutritional limitations of this widely promoted algae. The research, published in the scientific journal Discover Food, was led by Dr. Asaf Tzachor, Founder and Academic Director of the Aviram Sustainability and Climate Program at Reichman University, together with researchers from Iceland, Denmark and Austria.
Using advanced biotechnology and carefully controlled light conditions, the team produced carbon-neutral, nutrient-rich Spirulina biomass containing active vitamin B12. According to the researchers, this is the first time biologically active vitamin B12 has been reported in Spirulina. Vitamin B12 is an essential micronutrient involved in several critical processes in the body, including red blood cell formation and normal nervous system function.
More than a billion people worldwide are estimated to have low levels of the vitamin. For many people, meat and dairy products are important dietary sources of B12. The recommended intake cited by the researchers is 2.4 µg/day.
However, producing animal-based foods at the scale required to meet global demand also carries environmental costs, which has driven interest in more sustainable alternatives. Spirulina blue green algae (Arthrospira platensis) has often been promoted as one such option because it is nutrient dense and can be cultivated with a relatively small environmental footprint. But there has been a major obstacle.
Traditional Spirulina contains much of its B12 in the form of pseudo-vitamin B12. Although chemically similar to the vitamin humans need, this form is not bioavailable to people, meaning the body cannot effectively use it. That limitation has prevented conventional Spirulina from serving as a reliable replacement for animal-sourced vitamin B12.
Using Light to Change Spirulina's Nutrition To address that problem, researchers from Reichman University, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Ruppin Academic Center, Danish Technological Institute, and MATIS, Iceland, carried out an exploratory study of a biotechnology platform developed by VAXA Technologies in Iceland. The team examined the system's engineering design, its inputs (such as energy), and the nutritional composition of the biomass it produced. A central feature of the technology is photonic management (modified light conditions).
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