Adjustments Made
4. November 2023
We have modified our bags so that we no longer use labeled bags, but instead utilize individually printed bags. This ensures a cleaner and more appealing exterior.
Vegan and Vitamin B12
How do we ensure vegan vitamin B12
What is the challenge in the first place?
In recent years, vegan diets have gained popularity for ethical, environmental, and health reasons. While a plant-based diet offers many benefits, it also faces challenges, particularly in providing sufficient amounts of vitamin B12. This essential vitamin, critical for red blood cell production, nervous system function, and energy metabolism, is naturally found almost exclusively in animal-based foods.
For individuals following a vegan diet, obtaining adequate vitamin B12 can be challenging. While some plant-based foods, such as algae or fermented products, contain small amounts of B12, these are often inactive analogs that the body cannot use. These analogs can even interfere with the absorption of active B12. As a result, many seek reliable, bioavailable, and vegan sources of this crucial vitamin — and this is where our innovative approach comes into play.
Where does the vitamin B12 in vegan BERTRAND come from?
A Detailed Look: Extraction, Purification, and Verification of Active Vitamin B12 from Shiitake Mushrooms
In the vegan varieties of BERTRAND, a very small portion of vitamin B12 comes from the microalga Chlorella. However, the effective portion is derived from Shiitake mushrooms. These mushrooms contain a mixture of bioactive forms of vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) and inactive analogs. Active B12 (such as Methylcobalamin, Adenosylcobalamin, and Hydroxycobalamin) can be directly utilized by the human body, while inactive analogs are structurally similar but do not provide any vitamin function. To ensure safe and effective use, it is crucial that only the active forms are present in the final product. The extraction of bioactive vitamin B12 from Shiitake mushrooms is carried out through several highly specialized steps:
Hydrolysis of Mushroom Material
The fruiting bodies of Shiitake mushrooms are mechanically and chemically hydrolyzed after harvesting. This process breaks down the cell walls to release the nutrients enclosed within, particularly the cobalamins. This is supported by the use of water and specific enzymes that break down the complex carbohydrates and proteins of the mushrooms, making the vitamin B12 accessible.
Flocculation
In this step, the cobalamins are isolated from the mushroom material. Substances such as zinc and lime are used to help separate the cobalamins from other components like proteins, polysaccharides, and potential inactive B12 analogs. The resulting solution is filtered to obtain a clear suspension of the cobalamins.
Special Purification and Stabilization
The primary focus is on the elimination of inactive B12 analogs. These analogs are removed through a combination of:
Chromatography Techniques: For example, ion-exchange chromatography separates molecules based on their charge. Since inactive B12 analogs often have slightly different chemical structures, they can be distinguished from the active forms.
Enzymatic Purification: Specific enzymes are employed that target only inactive B12 analogs, breaking them down or binding them for removal.
After purification, a highly concentrated solution containing active forms of vitamin B12 remains.
What is Pseudo-B12?
The Difference Between Active and Inactive Forms of Vitamin B12
Active forms of vitamin B12, such as Methylcobalamin and Adenosylcobalamin, are the two biologically active variants that the human body can directly utilize. Hydroxycobalamin, on the other hand, is a precursor that can easily be converted into these active forms within the body. These forms are essential for numerous vital functions, including energy metabolism, cell division, DNA synthesis, and nervous system function.
In contrast, inactive B12 analogs have a structure similar to active B12 but cannot be integrated into the metabolic processes. A well-known example is pseudo-vitamin B12, which is often found in algae such as Spirulina. These inactive analogs can even be problematic as they compete with transport proteins in the gut for absorption, thereby reducing the availability of active B12.
To ensure that our product contains active forms of vitamin B12 that the body can utilize, the standardized test method AOAC 2011.09 was applied in the laboratory to determine the B12 content in our Shiitake extract.
The Laboratory Verification
Many vegan products advertise very high levels of vitamin B12. However, as previously mentioned, these often consist of pseudo-forms of B12. To ensure that only active forms of vitamin B12 are present, standardized testing methods are employed. One of the most important procedures is AOAC 2011.09, a microbiological method specifically designed to detect and quantify bioactive vitamin B12.
In this method, the microorganism Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis is cultured in a nutrient medium that is deliberately kept free of vitamin B12. The microorganism relies entirely on active vitamin B12 for its growth.
The growth, which can be measured by the turbidity or cell count of the medium, provides a direct indication of the bioactive B12 content in the tested sample. The greater the growth of the microorganism, the higher the proportion of active B12.
The AOAC 2011.09 is highly specific, as only biologically active forms like Methylcobalamin, Adenosylcobalamin, and Hydroxycobalamin can promote growth. Inactive forms or analogs of vitamin B12, which are structurally similar but not metabolically usable, do not contribute to the microorganism’s growth and can thus be reliably excluded. This precise method ensures that only bioavailable and effective forms of the vitamin are included in the products.
