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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Scientists have engineered a form of Spirulina that produces biologically active vitamin B12 at levels rivaling beef — a first for this popular algae. By tweaking the light conditions during cultivation, researchers unlocked a sustainable, carbon-neutral source of a nutrient that over a billion people worldwide lack. Scaled up, the technology could meet the B12 needs of tens of millions of children globally.
Spirulina has long been hyped as a superfood, but it had a key limitation: the B12 it contains is mostly a "pseudo" form the human body can't actually use. Now, researchers from Reichman University and partners across Iceland, Denmark, and Austria have addressed that problem. By carefully controlling the light environment in which Spirulina grows — a technique called photonic management — they coaxed the algae into producing biologically active vitamin B12 at levels comparable to beef. The study, published in Discover Food, marks the first reported instance of true, bioavailable B12 in Spirulina.
The resulting biomass is carbon-neutral and packed with additional antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune-boosting compounds — making it a compelling candidate for sustainable nutrition at scale.
By the Numbers
Why it matters: Vitamin B12 deficiency is a significant global health burden, disproportionately affecting those with limited access to meat and dairy. This breakthrough offers a sustainable, scalable alternative that could reshape how the world addresses micronutrient deficiency — without the environmental cost of animal agriculture.
