Vitamin B12Content Using Modified Microbioassay in Some Korean Popular Seaweeds, Fish, Shellfish and Its Products

Abstract

There is a limitation to estimate vitamin B12 intake due to a lack of data on vitamin B12 content in many Korean foods. In this study, vitamin B12 content was determined in some seaweeds, fish, and shellfish and their product that are con - sumed in Korea using a modified microbioassay with L actobacillus delbruecki ATCC 7830. Dried laver and dried sea- soned and toasted laver contained very high levels of vitamin B12 (66.8 and 55.2-71.3 μg/100 g, respectively. Sea lettuce and seaweed fulvescene also contained high vitamin B12 content of 5.47-9.41 and 6.46-7.20 μg/100 g, respectively, where- as sea mustard and sea tangle contained low levels of vitamin B12; vitamin B12 was not detected in seaweed fusifome. Pa- cific saury, trout, sea-bass, or squid contained 12.01, 2.00, 0.49 and 2.33 μg vitamin B12/100 g, respectively. Ochellatus oc- topus, and naked sand lance contained 0.72-1.43 and 3.68 μg vitamin B12/100 g, respectively. Dried Alaska pollack con- tained 0.19-2.64 μg vitamin B12/100 g. Shellfish such as little neck clam and small ark shellfish contained high levels of vitamin B12 of 30.5-40.5 μg/100 g, and mussel and abalone contained 17.71 and 7.82 μg/100 g, respectively. Of unique Ko- rean traditional fermented seafood products, salt-fermented products of squid (2.91 μg/100 g), clams (34.31 μg/100 g), Ala- ska pollack roe (9.98-12.02 μg/100 g), hairtail guts (4.58 μg/100 g) or small shrimp (0.58-1.55 μg/100 g), and fish sauce from anchovies (1.52-1.78 μg/100 mL), sand eel (0.22-0.24 μg/100 mL) or small shrimp (0.19-0.78 μg/100 mL) were ana- lyzed. A few commercial brands of flying fish roe (0.73-1.73 μg/100 g), canned tuna (0.40 μg/100 g), and fried fish paste (0.25-0.69 μg /100 g) were also analyzed. In conclusion, vitamin B12 content in these foods, chosen considering the Ko- rean food culture, should contribute to improve the present vitamin B12 food database. It may be helpful to estimate vita- min B12 intake more correctly than before, and provide additional information for dietary education related to vitamin B12 and meal management. (Korean J Nutr 2012; 45(1): 94 ~ 102)