Determination of Vitamin B12 Content of Sauerkraut (Pickled Cabbage) Products and Plant-Derived Lactic Acid Bacteria

Vitamin B12 content of four types of commercially available sauerkraut (pickled cabbage) products was determined and characterized. Although one product contained considerable vitamin B12 content (approximately 0.5μg/100g wet weight), the remaining three products contained only traces of vitamin B12. Subsequent liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry analyses revealed that most of the corrinoids found in the high-vitamin B12 sample was pseudo-vitamin B12, an inactive corrinoid compound, thereby suggesting that this sauerkraut product is not a suitable source of vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 content in 16 Lactobacillus strains isolated from vegetables and fruits and their products was determined. Although all lactic acid bacteria grew well in vitamin B12-deficient medium, only eight L. plantarum strains grew well in cabbage-extract medium, with L. plantarum FSCM2-12 producing the highest biomass and vitamin B12 content.