Characterization of vitamin B_<12>-related compounds isolated from edible portions of abalone

Abstract

The meat and viscera of abalone were contained 〜0.2 and 〜31.4 μg of vitamin B_<12> per 100 g fresh weight, respectively, which determined by the microbiological assay method. Vitamin B_<12>-dependent Escherichia coli 215-bioautography analysis, however, suggested that they contained pseudovitamin B_<12> as a considerable percentage of the vitamin B_<12>-related compounds found in both portions. The vitamin B_<12>-related compounds were purified from the viscera and identified with LC/ESI-MS/MS. These results indicated that abalone viscera contained a considerable amount of pseudovitamin B_<12> inactive for humans.