Occurrence of Coenzyme Forms of Vitamin B12 in a Cultured Purple Laver (Porphyla yezoensis)

Porphyra yezoensis (Susabinori, an edible purple laver), which was cultured aseptically for 12 weeks and then lyophilized, contained 50±2 μg/g of vitamin B₁₂ per 100 g dry weight. Coenzyme forms of vitamin B₁₂ (about 60% of the total vitamin B₁₂) were found in the cultured purple laver aseptically, which may have the ability to biosynthesize the coenzymes.