Abstract
A modification of a microbiological assay of vitamin $B_{12}$ was made and used to determine the vitamin levels during kimchi fermentation. A cyanide-buffer solution of pH 6.0 replaced the metabisufite-buffer specified in the A.O.A.C. method. The vitamin $B_{12}$ activity was decreased by blending kimchi samples for 5 minutes and retained the activity by steaming for 10 minutes before blending. The alkali hydrolysis of kimchi at pH 12.0 for 30 minutes at $121^{\circ}C$ was sufficient to destroy the vitamin $B_{12}$ and permit the detection of analogs with the same assay organism. Vitamin $B_{12}$ reached a maximum of 47ng/100g during the fermentation of kimchi ${15}\;4^{\circ}C.$ Inoculation of the kimchi with Propionibacterium shermanii (ATCC 13673) increased the vitamin production to a maximum of 102ng/100g at 1 week of fermentation. Soy flour (0.5%) or beef extract (0.05%), which were regarded as protein sources, added to the inoculated kimchi further increased the vitamin $B_{12}$ activity to 197 and 203ng/100g.