New research published in Discover Food highlights a breakthrough in biotechnology led by Dr Asaf Tzachor, Founder and Academic Director of the Aviram Sustainability and Climate Program at Reichman University. Alongside researchers from Iceland, Denmark, and Austria, Dr Tzachor has successfully cultivated photosynthetically controlled Spirulina that produces carbon-neutral, nutrient-rich biomass containing biologically active vitamin B12 — at levels comparable to those found in beef.
This is the first time biologically active vitamin B12 has been discovered in Spirulina, which is a huge breakthrough with worldwide health ramifications. Vitamin B12 deficiency affects over a billion people globally. Currently, the principal dietary sources of this critical element (recommended at 2.4 µg/day) are meat and dairy products, which have significant environmental consequences. This novel technology provides a sustainable, plant-based alternative that may help tackle B12 deficiency while minimising dependency on animal agriculture.
Although Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis), a species of blue-green algae, has long been seen as a healthier and more sustainable alternative to meat and dairy, its conventional form includes primarily pseudo-vitamin B12, a molecule that is not accessible to humans. This has limited its efficacy in treating vitamin B12 deficits and prohibited it from functioning as a complete nutritional replacement for beef in human diets.
In a groundbreaking exploratory investigation, an international team of researchers from Reichman University, the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna, the Ruppin Academic Centre, the Danish Technological Institute, and MATIS in Iceland attempted to overcome this problem.
The team assessed a biotechnology system created by VAXA Technologies in Iceland, focusing on its engineering components, inputs (such as energy), and outputs, which included biomass composition.
The method uses photonic management (changed light conditions) to increase active vitamin B12 production in Spirulina, as well as other bioactive substances that have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune-boosting characteristics. This unique approach resulted in carbon-neutral, nutritious biomass with biologically active vitamin B12 levels comparable to beef (1.64 µg/100g in PCS vs. 0.7-1.5 µg/100g in beef).
The study also explores production scale-up scenarios with profound implications for global nutrition. Iceland could generate 277,950 tonnes of Spirulina biomass each year by reallocating electricity from heavy industry. This equates to roughly 4555 grams of active vitamin B12 each year, which meets the recommended dietary intake (RDA) for more than 13.8 million children aged 1-3. More ambitious scenarios indicate that the RDA may be met for over 26.5 million children aged 1-3 and over 50 million toddlers aged 0-6 months.
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