Supplement created that contains more crucial B12 vitamins than milk or meat products
A team working with a type of blue-green microalgae called Spirulina, a very common health supplement powder, managed to alter its bioactive ingredients to include the same vitamin B12 nutrients found in beef or milk, all while staying carbon neutral.
“This marks the first time biologically active vitamin B12 has been identified in Spirulina,” explained Dr. Asaf Tzachor of Reichman University, whose multinational group ran the microalgae through a nine‑month stress test in Icelandic photobioreactors.
Why vitamin B12 matters
A shortfall of this vitamin can trigger anemia, nerve damage, and developmental delays, and deficiency rates climb as high as 40 percent in Latin America, 70 percent in parts of Africa, and up to 80 percent in South Asia.
People who skip animal foods face the highest risk because plants do not make cobalamin. Supplements work, yet many communities lack steady access, and cost is sometimes a prohibitive factor.
Pseudo-B12 from Spirulina microalgae
Regular Spirulina mainly carries pseudo‑B12, a look‑alike molecule that our cells ignore. The Iceland project used tuned LED lighting to flip the alga’s own genes toward making methylcobalamin, the active form that humans can absorb.
Laboratory assays put the new strain’s B12 at 1.64 micrograms per 100 grams of dry powder, which is comfortably above the 0.7‑1.5 µg/100 g window quoted for beef in the study.
More than 98 percent of that total was active B12, not pseudo, ending a long‑standing barrier for microalgae‑based nutrition.
The researchers call the product “Photosynthetically Controlled Spirulina,” or PCS. They achieved the upgrade without genetic modification, relying instead on light spectra that boost a native metabolic pathway.
Creating Spirulina with B-12 vitamins
Those pathways ran inside flat‑panel photobioreactor walls that were kept at about 88 °F (31 °C), aerated by GEOTHERMAL carbon‑dioxide and powered by Iceland’s near‑total renewable electric grid.
The closed system blocks contamination and uses minimal freshwater, an important edge over open ponds.
PCS stayed carbon neutral because every kilowatt came from hydro or geothermal turbines, and harvested biomass trapped the same amount of carbon that the process emitted.
Besides B12, PCS in Spirulina microalgae delivers roughly 27 grams of protein and 0.03 grams of iron per 100 grams, a profile that tracks or beats lean steak.
USDA tables show beef cuts can swing from 0.8 to about 4 micrograms of B12 per 100 grams, depending on the muscle and cooking method.
With vitamin B12 levels at 1.64 micrograms per 100 grams of dry powder, Spirulina is also a comparable source of this essential vitamin.
In addition, it is light in fat, contains no cholesterol, and is naturally salt free, making it easier to incorporate into heart-friendly diets.
“The findings demonstrate that photosynthetically controlled Spirulina can produce desirable levels of active vitamin B12, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional animal‑source foods,” confirmed Dr. Tzachor.
Nutritional microalgae, no CO2 footprint
Beef production averages about 60 kilograms (132 pounds) of CO2‑equivalent emissions for every kilogram of meat, the highest of any staple protein.
Because PCS cultivation is powered by renewables, swapping a kilogram of steak for an equal mass of algae could erase more than 60 kilograms (130 pounds) of greenhouse gas from the menu.
The paper sketches a country‑wide scale‑up: diverting electricity that is now used by heavy industry could let Iceland ship 278 thousand tons of PCS a year, enough active B12 to meet the daily needs of nearly 14 million toddlers.
Even a smaller rollout could plug critical gaps in areas where deficiency and childhood stunting overlap.
PCS ships as a shelf‑stable powder that blends into flour, beverages, or nutrition bars, trimming cold‑chain costs that hinder meat or milk aid. Because it is an autotroph, it sidesteps the feed, land, and water burdens that shadow livestock.
B12-rich Spirulina and food policy
PCS could also shift how governments approach food security and malnutrition. Because the production system is modular and closed-loop, it can be deployed in regions with poor soil, unreliable rainfall, or limited farmland.
That opens the door to building local microalgae facilities in parts of Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, where vitamin B12 deficiency is most severe.
If validated at scale, PCS could also influence agricultural subsidies and international food aid.
Nations might begin to classify Spirulina as a strategic crop, eligible for public investment or included in procurement plans for schools, hospitals, and humanitarian agencies.
This would mark a rare crossover between biotech innovation and public nutrition policy.
Clinical teams still have to confirm how well humans absorb the algae‑bound vitamin compared with pills or steak.
Trials are being designed to track blood markers, nerve function, and taste acceptance across a two‑year window.
Engineers also need to soften PCS’s distinctive color and aroma for picky eaters, especially children. Early tests suggest microencapsulation or partial extraction can hide the hue without stripping the nutrients.
The study is published in Discover Food.
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