Über den Vitamin B12-Gehalt und den Vitamin E-Gehalt der einzelligen Grünalge Scenedesmus obliquus

Abstract

In 9 samples of the 1-celled green alga S. obliquus in culture, obtained from non-sterile open land cultures, vitamin B12 was found in amounts from 0.02-1.7 gamma/g dry weight. This is at least 20-50 times greater than in green leaves of higher plants, in which previously only traces of vita-min B12 were found. With a vitamin E content of 111-183 gamma/g dry weight our alga S. obliquus is about equal to spinach and wheat seedlings, that is, plant products with a higher than average vitamin E content. In this respect it far exceeds animal products, for example, milk. Since in earlier studies also we had found a very high value of the protein for the growth of rats, the alga Scenedesmus, at least in the dried state, must be considered as a new interesting material of very high dietetic value, which in its physiological nutritive quality combines favorable characteristics of animal and plant products. There is no reason for attributing the high biological value of the (digestible) protein alone for growth rather than to the vitamin B12 and the vitamin E of the alga.