Preparation of Vitamin B12-Enriched Curds: A Novel Approach to Address Nutritional Deficiency in Vegetarian Populations

Year : 2026 | Volume : 16 | Issue : 01 | Page : 1 15
    By

    Brijmohan Singh,

  • Payal Sachin Mishra,

  • Shristi Singh,

  • Pratham Jadhav,

  1. Research Scholar, Department of Biotechnology, ICLES Motilal Jhunjhunwala College (Under Mumbai University), Vashi, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
  2. Assistant Professor, Department of Biotechnology, ICLES Motilal Jhunjhunwala College (Under Mumbai University), Vashi, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
  3. Research Scholar, Department of Pharmacy, Lokmanya Tilak Institute of Pharmacy, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
  4. Research Scholar, Department of Biotechnology, ICLES Motilal Jhunjhunwala College (Under Mumbai University), Vashi, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Abstract

Addressing the significant public health challenge of Vitamin B12 deficiency, particularly within India’s substantial vegetarian population (estimated at 35%), this study explored biofortification of the widely consumed dairy product curd (dahi) as a culturally acceptable solution, overcoming barriers of cost, access, and compliance associated with traditional supplements. Researchers isolated bacterial strains from Swiss cheese, presumptively identified as Propionibacterium shermanii based on phenotypic characteristics, and used them to ferment curd under varying conditions, including the presence or absence of supplementary glucose, high or low milk fat content, and two different bacterial isolates. Vitamin B12 concentration was quantified via a colorimetric assay using sodium nitroprusside. The results demonstrated that the maximum yield of Vitamin B12 (7.2 µg/100g) – a 6.5-fold increase over conventional curd (1.1 µg/100g) – was achieved using a specific bacterial isolate (Bacteria 2) in low-fat milk without added glucose. The study found that both the bacterial strain and milk fat content significantly influenced Vitamin B12 production, while supplementary glucose had variable effects depending on the strain used. This proof-of-concept study successfully establishes the feasibility of using propionibacteria to biofortify curd, offering a promising dietary strategy to combat Vitamin B12 deficiency in vegetarian communities. The authors conclude that further research, including molecular identification of the bacterial strains, optimization of production parameters, and human trials to assess bioavailability, is essential to develop this approach into an effective, large-scale nutritional intervention

Keywords: Vitamin B12, biofortification, presumptive Propionibacterium shermanii, fermentation, curd, vegetarian nutrition, functional food

[This article belongs to Research and Reviews: A Journal of Microbiology and Virology ]

How to cite this article:
Brijmohan Singh, Payal Sachin Mishra, Shristi Singh, Pratham Jadhav. Preparation of Vitamin B12-Enriched Curds: A Novel Approach to Address Nutritional Deficiency in Vegetarian Populations. Research and Reviews: A Journal of Microbiology and Virology. 2025; 16(01):1-15.
How to cite this URL:
Brijmohan Singh, Payal Sachin Mishra, Shristi Singh, Pratham Jadhav. Preparation of Vitamin B12-Enriched Curds: A Novel Approach to Address Nutritional Deficiency in Vegetarian Populations. Research and Reviews: A Journal of Microbiology and Virology. 2025; 16(01):1-15. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/rrjomv/article=2025/view=233178


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Regular Issue Subscription Original Research
Volume 16
Issue 01
Received 11/11/2025
Accepted 14/11/2025
Published 17/11/2025
Publication Time 6 Days
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