A new plant-based “gummy” has been developed that can provide vegans and vegetarians with essential vitamins B12 and D3. According to a study by the University of São Paulo, around 1.67 million people in Germany avoid animal products for religious, ethical, ecological, or economic reasons. However, vitamin B12, which is essential for life, is only found in animal products. As a result, vegans must supplement their diets to prevent deficiencies. Additionally, vegans and vegetarians often lack vitamin D3, which is primarily obtained through fish, eggs, and offal. To address this issue, researchers have developed a plant-based gum with strawberry flavor that can provide the recommended daily dose of these vitamins.
Traditionally, people with plant-based diets have used supplements in pill form. However, because vitamins B12 and D3 have different solubilities, they are difficult to combine in a tablet. Emulsion gels, on the other hand, could replace conventional tablets. Pectin, a plant-based polysaccharide already used as a gelling agent in vegan foods, was found to have great potential. The team led by Samantha Pinho investigated whether they could produce a gum enriched with vitamins B12 and D3 using only plant-based ingredients such as pectin. They produced an emulsion of citrate buffer, inulin, gum arabic, linseed oil, and vitamin D3, as well as a pectin gel of pectin, calcium chloride, and vitamin B12, which they dissolved in a citrate buffer. Mixing the emulsion into the pectin gel quickly produced a gel that, after drying, resembled traditional gummy candy. The researchers then added natural strawberry flavor to the gum and made small candies from it. Sensory tests with 120 participants were positive, with the test groups rating the gummy vitamins highly in terms of taste, color, and aroma. Approximately half of the participants said they would buy the gummy vitamins, while more than a third (36%) said they could imagine buying them.
This new development could be a game-changer for vegans and vegetarians who struggle to obtain essential vitamins from their diets. The plant-based gum provides a convenient and tasty way to supplement their diets with vitamins B12 and D3. The positive results of the sensory tests suggest that the gum could be a popular alternative to traditional supplements.
