Purification and Characterization of a Corrinoid Compound from a Japanese Salted and Fermented Salmon Kidney “Mefun”

Abstract

Significant amounts of vitamin B₁₂ (about 116.3∼556.3 µg/100 g) were determined in a Japanese salted and fermented salmon kidney “Mefun.” A corrinoid compound was purified to homogeneity from Mefun and partially characterized. TLC and HPLC patterns of the purified corrinoid compound were identical to those of authentic vitamin B₁₂, but not to inactive corrinoids. The vitamin B₁₂ found in Mefun was not derived from concomitant vitamin B₁₂‐synthesizing bacteria, but had accumulated in the salmon kidney. Gel filtration experiments demonstrated that most of the vitamin B₁₂ found in Mefun was recovered in the free vitamin B₁₂ fractions. These results indicate that Mefun would be an excellent vitamin B₁₂ (free form) source for elderly persons with food‐bound vitamin B₁₂ malabsorption.

Keywords:

• Salted and fermented salmon kidney
• HPLC
• TLC
• Vitamin B₁₂

Acknowledgment

This study was supported in part by a grant for Comprehensive Research on Cardiovascular Diseases from Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (to F. W.).