Study of chicken egg protein influence on bioavailability of vitamin B12 by SEC-ICP MS and ESI MS

The goal of the presented study was to provide preliminary information on cobalt speciation in chicken eggs. Simulation of a digestive system was set up to acquire information about bioavailability of cobalt. Additionally, it was found that cobalt recovery by means of enzymatic digestion was decreasing with longer boiling time from 100 to 62%. Size exclusion, silica based column was coupled to ICP MS and used for separation of B12 analogues from their degradation products and adducts with proteins extracted from egg tissue. Silica based column offered detection limits down to 0.1 ng mL−1 due to higher recovery of cobalt from stationary phase in comparison to most commonly used Superdex (DL 10 ng mL−1). Phosphitin and ovalbumin showed good affinity to B12 and they were assigned to cobalophilins responsible for protection of cobalamins from enzymatic, acidic or thermal degradation.