To verify whether edible bamboo shoots contain vitamin B_<12> or not, vitamin B_<12> was assayed by the microbiological method authorized in the standard tables of food composition in Japan (5th Edition), and by a reversed-HPLC. The results indicate that edible bamboo shoots do not contain vitamin B_<12>, but some compounds showing the vitamin B_<12>-like activity (known as the alkali-resistant factor).