Scientists have bioengineered Spirulina to produce active vitamin B12, previously found only in animal products, offering a sustainable, carbon-neutral alternative to meat and dairy.
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 marks the first time biologically active vitamin B12 has been identified in Spirulina, a significant advancement with global health implications. Vitamin B12 deficiency affects more than a billion people worldwide. Currently, the primary dietary sources of this essential micronutrient (recommended at 2.4 µg/day) are meat and dairy products — which come with substantial environmental costs. This new method offers a sustainable, plant-based alternative that could help combat B12 deficiency while reducing reliance on animal agriculture.
Although Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis), a type of blue-green algae, has long been considered a healthier and more sustainable alternative to meat and dairy, its traditional form contains mostly pseudo-vitamin B12, a compound that is not bioavailable to humans. This has limited its effectiveness in addressing vitamin B12 deficiencies and has prevented it from serving as a complete nutritional substitute for beef in human diets.
A Multinational Collaboration and Technological Innovation
In a pioneering exploratory study, an international team of researchers from Reichman University, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Ruppin Academic Center, Danish Technological Institute, and MATIS, Iceland, sought to overcome this challenge.
The team evaluated a biotechnology system developed by VAXA Technologies in Iceland, focusing on its engineering components, inputs (such as energy), and outputs, including biomass composition.
The system employs photonic management (modified light conditions) to enhance active vitamin B12 production in Spirulina, along with other bioactive compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune-boosting properties. This innovative approach yielded carbon-neutral, nutritious biomass containing biologically active vitamin B12 at levels comparable to beef (1.64 µg/100g in PCS vs. 0.7–1.5 μg/100g in beef).
A Sustainable Alternative to Animal Products
Dr. Asaf Tzachor, explains, “the findings demonstrate that photosynthetically controlled Spirulina can produce desirable levels of active vitamin B12, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional animal-source foods.”
The study also explores production scale-up scenarios with profound implications for global nutrition. By reallocating electricity from heavy industry, Iceland could produce 277,950 tonnes of Spirulina biomass annually. This output translates to approximately 4555 grams of active vitamin B12 per year, meeting the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for over 13.8 million children aged 1–3. More ambitious scenarios suggest the potential to meet the RDA for over 26.5 million children aged 1–3, and over 50 million children aged 0–6 months.
This breakthrough marks a significant step towards addressing global vitamin B12 deficiency sustainably, reducing reliance on environmentally taxing meat and dairy production.
Reference: “Photonic management of Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) in scalable photobioreactors to achieve biologically active unopposed vitamin B12” by A. Tzachor, S. P. van den Oever, H. K. Mayer, M. Asfur, A. Smidt-Jensen, M. Geirsdóttir, S. Jensen and B. O. Smárason, 7 August 2024, Discover Food.
DOI: 10.1007/s44187-024-00152-1
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32 Comments
Way to GO!
Congrats to the Team
We already aren’t dependent on animal products for B12. They produce it industrially with bacteria. You can buy enough for a lifetime for about the price of a gallon of milk.
Brilliant but this doesn’t do anything for people who suffer from pernicious anaemia as we can’t absorb B12 through normal sources and need to have it injected just to have a kind of normal existence So I truly hope this doesn’t cause even more problems for us sufferers who have to fight for our B12 as it is.
Try taking methylated vitamins
Great if deficiency is diet but hopefully this won’t affect people with Pernicious anemea who cannot absorb through their gut and need Injections of b12. Feel that we are already battling with our GP for essential treatment.
Totally agree the NHS say every 3 months. And I suffer terribly for 5/6 weeks till it is due. I have had to fight for every 2 months and I hate his such a serious condition is not taken seriously
So, why are scientists studying production of B12 when it is already readily and affordably available via environmentally friendly methods?
Where is this B12 available?
I can’t speak for anyone else but I’m quite happy with meat and dairy products thanks.
Lets go vegan @ best
If not @ least say no to beef
So we can cut the population of cows down because there farts are causing carbon emissions 🤣🤣 the UK contributes 0.06% towards the worlds carbon emission and yet we are heavily taxed on it while other countries happily burn 100’s of millions of tyres 🤷🏻‍♂️ get a grip carbon emission is another big con, Tree and plant growth in the uk are being effected because of less carbon emission
So Iceland would divert green energy from its industrial sector to produce more Algae. How is this carbon neutral? How about producing more green energy for this endeavor and letting industry keep its green energy.
Balance is always key. We have learned in the study of ecosystems that you can never cull anything in existence without consequences. Dairy and meat consumption is not a problem, it is OVERCONSUMPTION that is a problem. I say that as someone who does not eat meat. Having freedom of choice, with reasonable boundaries, is key to sustainability and harmony on this Earth. Be reasonable. Take only what you need. Respect what we have and be grateful. When China’s leader, Mao, killed the birds to try and save the crops, the crops were eaten by insects and people died from the famine. It ended in many deaths. Many people on this Earth rely on meat and dairy, don’t they? Let’s not vilify survival. Let’s not vilify the human race. Nobody bats an eye at the meat eating animals of the world. We must tread carefully in our desires to save the world. Change and evolution must come in incremental steps. Cooperative efforts work best. Plant seeds and let time water them. Don’t be hasty.
You speak or time when humanity finally remembers the important lifestyle that are ancestors once had on this earth. Everything in moderation.
Well bro
As we are thinking about to lower carbon emissions through various sources. It’s a new idea with biotechnology. Please to make efforts together for this aim.
An old Era most of us used timbers for energy generation. Now with some development it’s cut down percentage.
Well bro, freedom of choice, if you want Franken foods, crack on!
Hello
Great post👍🏻
Nice article.Hope more to read.
Where can we get this spirulina that has the bioavailable B12? Just telling us it exist doesn’t help anyone.
Where can I buy b12 spirulina please… thanks đź‘Ť
Contact the authors, esp. if you have a plan that can keep the spirulina in panel chains and couple it with a CD32 suppressor natural product for drying (w. water recovery probs.), test, distribution, etc!
Fair enough for vegans, but for rhe rest of us why cant qe just eat beef? Yes this stuff may have the levels of beef but is it in an absorbable form, cobalamin is what weve been cinsuming since we walked out the jungle, this is just manufactoring and im dubious of replacing produced crap for nutrients. As a mum who has a child with an autoimmune disease im sick and tored of supposed quick foxes, everything that mans ti kered with makes my sons inflammation worse, unfortunately animal based products are rhe only really absorbable foods and they keep him in remission.
Eat like a human: animals, plants, and zero synthetic nonsense.
Sounds like a good idea.
We have teeth of an omnivore for good reason and that’s because we evolved to eat to foodstuffs you mentioned.
Deforestation is Brazil has more effect on CO2 levels than us brits do.
The rainforests are the lungs of the earth and fix that CO2 we emit for their own growth.
Photosynthesis is the most important reaction in all our lives.
Bioengineered …no thank you.
Very nice information
For B-12 foods thanks
Thanks again for guiding
Very good guiding this one . Thanks
This is only going to help for a diet-related B12 deficiency that is already 100% preventable and easy to treat… Not the real deficiencies caused by a lack of intrisic factor (pernicious anaemia)
That is fantastic news concerning B12 deficiency. When and where is this going to be available to the public ?
I have suffered for years with B12 deficiency, unable to take the pills as they do not absorb in my stomach. I take B12 injections every 2 to 3 weeks.. would love to have more information on when this is available in Canada.