Traditional Asian plant-based fermented foods as vitamin B12 sources: A mini-review

Plant-based foods, such as vegetables and beans, are deficient in vitamin B-12 (B-12). If plant-based foods containing adequate B-12 can be produced microbially, incorporating them into a vegetarian diet would prevent B-12 deficiency. Asian indigenous fermented foods from soybeans, vegetables, and tea leaves, are commercially accessible. The B-12 level in the fermented products has been characterized to determine whether they may serve as a viable source of B-12 in humans. Since their B-12 content is very low (<0.5 mu g/100 g wet weight), most traditional Asian plant-based fermented foods do not appear to serve as adequate daily B-12 sources. However, some stinky tofu and pickled vegetable products contain >10 mu g of B-12 per 100 g wet weight. Nonetheless, further clinical research is warranted to clarify whether these products can increase the serum B-12 levels of humans.