Use of cheese whey for vitamin B12 production. I. Whey solids and yeast extract levels.

The suitability of cheese whey as a substrate for vitamin B(12) production by Propionibacterium shermanii was studied. It was found that with a given level of whey solids a definite amount of yeast extract was required to give maximal yields of vitamin B(12). Of the levels of materials studied, 10% whey solids and 1.5% yeast extract gave the best yields of vitamin B(12). Most of the lactose of the whey had been utilized in all flask cultures after 168 hr at 29 C.