Scientists from the University of Helsinki showed that vitamin B12, which helps cell division, blood cell formation and promotes strong DNA, could now be added to bread or yogurt-type products through fermentation.

Vitamin B12 is crucial but can only be found in animal products, such as liver, kidneys, heart, meat, fish, and so on.

Microbes that produce B12 vitamin can be cultivated in fava beans.If B12 is only found in meat, then vegetarians and especially vegans may lack this vitamin. But what if there was a natural way of introducing B12 into plant-based foods? Researchers in Finland think there is such a way.

The method relies on the Propionibacterium freudenreichii bacterium, which is used in the production of Emmental cheese. According to researcher, Vieno Piironen, when the right strains of the microbe are selected and suitable conditions are set, the bacterium can be induced to synthesize large quantities of vitamin B12 in its cells. Although some B12 forms are useless to humans, this one can be introduced in bread or yogurt and benefits human health, the researchers say.

These microbes, which can produce B12 vitamin, can be cultivated in grain or fava bean or even in other medium. Then these products can be used to make food rich in B12.