Vitamin B∧12 Content Using Modified Microbioassay in Some Korean Popular Seaweeds, Fish, Shellfish and Its Products

There is a limitation to estimate vitamin B∧12 intake due to a lack of data on vitamin B∧12 content in many Korean foods. In this study, vitamin B∧12 content was determined in some seaweeds, fish, and shellfish and their product that are consumed in Korea using a modified microbioassay with Lactobacillus delbruecki ATCC 7830. Dried laver and dried seasoned and toasted laver contained very high levels of vitamin B∧12 (66.8 and 55.2-71.3 ㎍/100 g, respectively. Sea lettuce and seaweed fulvescene also contained high vitamin B∧12 content of 5.47-9.41 and 6.46-7.20/100 g, respectively, whereas sea mustard and sea tangle contained low levels of vitamin B∧12; vitamin B∧12 was not detected in seaweed fusifome. Pacific saury, trout, sea-bass, or squid contained 12.01, 2.00, 0.49 and 2.33 ㎍ vitamin B∧12/100 g, respectively. Ochellatus octopus, and naked sand lance contained 0.72-1.43 and 3.68 ㎍ vitamin B∧12/100 g, respectively. Dried Alaska pollack con-tained 0.19-2.64 ㎍ vitamin /100 g. Shellfish such as little neck clam and small ark shellfish contained high levels of vitamin B∧12 of 30.5-40.5 ㎍/100 g, and mussel and abalone contained 17.71 and 7.82 ㎍/100 g, respectively. Of unique Korean traditional fermented seafood products, salt-fermented products of squid (2.91 ㎍/100 g), clams (34.31 ㎍/100 g), Ala-ska pollack roe (9.98-12.02 ㎍/100 g), hairtail guts (4.58 ㎍/100 g) or small shrimp (0.58-1.55 ㎍/100 g), and fish sauce from anchovies (1.52-1.78 ㎍/100 mL), sand eel (0.22-0.24 ㎍/100 mL) or small shrimp (0.19-0.78 ㎍/100 mL) were analyzed. A few commercial brands of flying fish roe (0.73-1.73 ㎍/100 g), canned tuna (0.40 ㎍/100 g), and fried fish paste (0.25-0.69 ㎍/100 g) were also analyzed. In conclusion, vitamin B∧12 content in these foods, chosen considering the Korean food culture, should contribute to improve the present vitamin B∧12 food database. It may be helpful to estimate vitamin B∧12 intake more correctly than before, and provide additional information for dietary education related to vitamin B∧12 and meal management.