A Modified Form of a Vitamin B₁₂ Compound Extracted from Whey Fermented by Lactobacillus helveticus

¹ Faculty of Education, Hiroshima University, Kagamiyama, Higasi-Hiroshima 739, Japan

The content of vitamin B₁₂ in whey was reduced considerably during lactic acid fermentation, which was analogous to the lactic acid fermentation of milk. This apparent B₁₂ decrease in whey was caused by B₁₂ compounds that were unextractable by conventional extraction with potassium cyanide but that could be extracted by sonication and treatment by proteases such as pepsin and papain. Forms of the extracted B₁₂ compounds were examined by bioautographies with Escherichia coli 215, coupled with cellulose acetate membrane electrophoresis or HPLC, and were identified as adenosylcobalamin, cyanocobalamin, and hydoroxocobalamin. A considerable amount of unidentified B₁₂ was also detected, and this unidentified B₁₂ compound seems to be the principal B₁₂ compound that was unextractable from the cells.

Key Words: vitamin B₁₂ • lactic acid fermentation of whey • Lactobacillus helveticus B-1 • bioautography of vitamin B₁₂ compounds

Submitted on May 21, 1996
Accepted on March 10, 1997

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