Science

Researchers develop light-controlled Spirulina that produces active vitamin B12

By modifying growth light conditions, scientists cultivated algae containing active vitamin B12 at levels comparable to beef.

Updated Aug 30, 2026 · 15:19 UTC1 reports

The short version

International researchers used modified light conditions in a photobioreactor platform to cultivate Spirulina containing biologically active vitamin B12.
Conventional Spirulina contains mostly pseudo-vitamin B12, a form that humans cannot absorb, limiting its utility as a dietary replacement for animal products.
The tested biomass yielded 1.64 µg of active vitamin B12 per 100 grams, exceeding average levels reported in beef.
Further research and expanded production are required to test the feasibility of integrating the technology into commercial food systems.

A study published in Discover Food shows that modified light conditions enabled Spirulina algae to produce biologically active vitamin B12.[ScienceDaily]
Traditional Spirulina predominantly produces pseudo-vitamin B12, which is not bioavailable to the human body.[ScienceDaily]
The cultivated carbon-neutral algae yielded 1.64 µg of active vitamin B12 per 100 grams, compared to 0.7–1.5 µg per 100 grams in beef.[ScienceDaily]
The project was led by Dr. Asaf Tzachor of Reichman University alongside researchers from Denmark, Austria, and Iceland using technology from VAXA Technologies.[ScienceDaily]
More than one billion people globally are estimated to have low levels of vitamin B12, which has a recommended daily intake of 2.4 µg.[ScienceDaily]

Projections regarding the ability to supply B12 for millions of children rely on theoretical industrial scale-up scenarios in Iceland rather than active production capacity.[ScienceDaily]
Additional research is needed to establish whether this production method is economically and logistically viable in real-world food systems.[ScienceDaily]