Determination of Vitamin B12: Nutritional Value and Analysis Methods in Foods

Why is Vitamin B12 Determination Performed?

What is Vitamin B12 and Why is it Important?

Properties of Vitamin B12

• It is a water-soluble vitamin.
• It is naturally found in foods of animal origin (e.g. meat, fish, milk and eggs).
• It is not usually found in plant foods, but may be present in some fortified products or fermented foods.

Health Benefits of Vitamin B12

• Red Blood Cell Production: Deficiency can lead to anemia.
• Nervous System Support: Provides protection of nerve cells.
• Energy Metabolism: It is important for energy production in the body.

Why is Vitamin B12 Determination Performed?

1. Consumer Health: B12 deficiency is common, especially in vegan and vegetarian individuals. Analysis contributes to the development of suitable products for these individuals.
2. Labeling and Regulatory Compliance: Proper labeling of food products increases consumer confidence as well as regulatory compliance.
3. Quality Control of Fortified Products: The accuracy of the amount of vitamin B12 added to foods is ensured by quality control analysis.
4. Clinical Research: Vitamin B12 levels are measured in health research and dietary monitoring of individuals.

What are the Application Areas of Analysis?

• Food Products: Meat, dairy products, fortified cereals and herbal alternatives.
• Food Supplements: Multivitamin tablets, capsules and powder formulas.
• Clinical Laboratories: Measurement of B12 levels in blood and serum samples.
• Livestock and Feed Products: Vitamin B12 content in animal feed products.

What are the Methods for Vitamin B12 Determination?

1. High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC): One of the most widely used methods and offers high sensitivity in vitamin B12 analysis.
2. Microbiological Method: The amount of B12 is measured through the growth rates of bacteria such as Lactobacillus.
3. Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA): Determination is made using specific antibodies for vitamin B12.
4. Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS): Can be used for the determination of B12 derivatives containing metal ions.
5. Mass Spectrometry (MS): Can be used for the identification of vitamin B12 isotopes. It is usually applied in combination with HPLC (HPLC-MS).

The determination of vitamin B12 is critical for quality control of food products, health supplement development and consumer safety. Sensitive analysis techniques such as HPLC, ELISA and microbiological methods make it possible to accurately determine the amount of B12 in foods and supplements. These analyses play a fundamental role in ensuring regulatory compliance, preventing nutritional deficiencies and promoting public health.

Nano-lab Laboratories Group continues to provide services within the scope of Vitamin B12 Determination. We also provide services in Vitamin Analysis.

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