Scientists found a way to produce vitamin B12 using bacteria and soybean waste, which could be a game-changer for plant-based foods. Vitamin B12 is naturally found in meat and animal products, but plants don’t make it—so vegans and vegetarians often struggle to get enough. Researchers used a special bacteria to grow B12 on leftover soybean material from food processing, tripling the amount produced. This method is cheap, uses waste that would otherwise be thrown away, and could help food companies add B12 to plant-based products like milk alternatives and meat substitutes.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Can scientists grow vitamin B12 using bacteria and soybean waste instead of relying on animal products?
  • Who participated: This was a laboratory experiment using bacteria and soybean byproducts—no human participants were involved.
  • Key finding: Researchers more than tripled vitamin B12 production (from 1.5 to 5 milligrams per liter) by fine-tuning growing conditions like temperature, acidity, and air flow.
  • What it means for you: This research suggests a potential new way to add vitamin B12 to plant-based foods without using animals. However, this is still early-stage lab work—it will take more testing before these products reach store shelves.

The Research Details

Scientists grew special bacteria called Propionibacterium freudenreichii in large containers called bioreactors. They used liquid leftover from processing soybeans as the growing medium instead of expensive laboratory nutrients. The team tested different combinations of nutrients, sugar preparation methods, and air levels to find the best conditions. They also carefully controlled temperature and acidity using a mathematical approach called design of experiments, which helps identify the most important factors without testing every possible combination.

The bacteria naturally produce vitamin B12 as they grow, similar to how they do in animal stomachs (which is why B12 is found in meat). By optimizing the growing conditions, the researchers could make the bacteria produce much more B12 in the same amount of space.

This approach is important because it uses waste material that would normally be discarded, making it environmentally friendly and cost-effective. The bacteria used is considered safe for food (it’s on the FDA’s GRAS list, meaning Generally Recognized As Safe). If this process can be scaled up to industrial levels, it could provide a sustainable way to fortify plant-based foods with B12.

This is a controlled laboratory study with careful measurement and optimization. The researchers used established scientific methods to improve their process step-by-step. However, this work was done in laboratory bioreactors, not in real food production facilities, so there’s still a gap between lab success and real-world application. The study doesn’t include human testing or actual food product development.

What the Results Show

The main success was dramatically increasing B12 production. When researchers optimized the growing conditions, vitamin B12 production jumped from about 1.5 milligrams per liter to 5 milligrams per liter—more than three times higher. This is significant because it means the bacteria can produce useful amounts of B12 in a relatively small space.

The bacteria also grew very well on the soybean waste medium, producing more than 6 grams of bacterial cells per liter. This is important because it means the bacteria are healthy and multiplying efficiently. The researchers also calculated that each gram of bacteria produced more than 0.8 milligrams of B12, which is a very efficient conversion.

The optimization process involved adjusting three main factors: what nutrients were added to the soybean waste, how the sugars were prepared before the bacteria ate them, and how much air was bubbled through the growing medium. Temperature and acidity were also carefully controlled throughout the experiment.

The study showed that soybean processing waste is an excellent and cheap source of nutrients for growing these bacteria. This is important because it means the process could be economically viable—using waste material instead of expensive purified nutrients keeps costs down. The bacteria used in the study (Propionibacterium freudenreichii) is already used safely in food production, particularly in cheese-making, which suggests it could be safely used in food fortification.

Previous research has shown that this type of bacteria can produce B12, but this study improved the efficiency significantly. The threefold increase in production is a major improvement over earlier attempts. This work builds on decades of research into using bacteria to produce vitamins and other compounds for food and medicine.

This research was conducted only in laboratory bioreactors, not in actual food production settings. The study doesn’t show whether the B12 produced this way would work the same in actual food products or how it would affect taste and quality. There’s also no information about how expensive this process would be at a large industrial scale, or whether it could compete with current B12 fortification methods. Additionally, the study doesn’t include any testing in humans to confirm the B12 produced is as effective as other sources.

The Bottom Line

This research is promising but still early-stage. It suggests that using bacteria and soybean waste to produce B12 is technically possible and efficient in laboratory conditions. However, it’s too early to recommend this as a replacement for current B12 sources. Food companies would need to conduct additional testing to ensure safety, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness before using this method commercially. Confidence level: Moderate for technical feasibility, but low for real-world application at this stage.

This research is most relevant to food companies that make plant-based products, nutritionists concerned about B12 deficiency in vegetarians and vegans, and people interested in sustainable food production. It’s less immediately relevant to individual consumers, though they may eventually benefit if this technology is commercialized. People with B12 deficiency should continue using current proven sources (supplements, fortified foods, or animal products) rather than waiting for this technology.

This is basic research, not a finished product. It typically takes 5-10 years or more for laboratory discoveries to become available consumer products. The next steps would be scaling up to pilot production, testing in actual food products, conducting safety studies, and obtaining regulatory approval.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track daily B12 intake in micrograms from all sources (supplements, fortified foods, animal products). Set a goal of 2.4 micrograms daily for adults and monitor whether you’re meeting this target.
  • If you follow a plant-based diet, use the app to log your B12 sources daily and get reminders to consume fortified foods or supplements. Set weekly goals to ensure consistent B12 intake and track any symptoms of deficiency like fatigue or numbness.
  • Create a monthly review to assess B12 intake patterns and identify gaps. Set alerts for when fortified products you use are running low. Consider scheduling annual blood tests to check B12 levels and adjust intake accordingly, logging results in the app.

This research describes a laboratory process for producing vitamin B12 and is not yet available as a consumer product. People with vitamin B12 deficiency or those following plant-based diets should continue using proven B12 sources such as supplements, fortified foods, or animal products as recommended by their healthcare provider. This article is for informational purposes only and should not replace medical advice. Consult with a healthcare professional before making changes to your B12 intake or diet.