Soybean-based functional food with vitamin B12-producing lactic acid bacteria

Consumption of soy products has increased greatly due to their beneficial health effect. However, soy does not contain vitamin B-12 (B-12), an important water-soluble vitamin vital to prevent severe pathologies, some of which are irreversible. In this study a novel soymilk beverage containing a compound with B-12 activity-producer strain (Lactobacillus reuteri CRL 1098) to prevent the pathologies caused by a B-12-deficient diet was evaluated using an experimental murine model. Pregnant females were divided into four groups. Besides the B-12-deficient and the control group, the animals in the remaining two groups received non-fermented soymilk and soymilk fermented with L. reuteri CRL 1098 from the end of gestation to weaning. At the end of the trials, females and their corresponding offspring were sacrificed to determine haematological, immunological and histological parameters. The results showed that the administration of fermented soymilk prevented the development of all symptoms observed as a consequence of nutritional B-12 deficiency both in females mice and in their respective offspring. The design of soybean-based functional food bio-fortified with vitamin using a lactobacilli strain able to produce compounds with B-12 activity constitutes an interesting alternative therapy to prevent vitamin deficiency. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.