Skip to main content
          Skip to FDA Search
          Skip to in this section menu
          Skip to footer links


U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government

					Here’s how you know
          			Dot gov**The .gov means it’s official.**Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.
							      SSL**The site is secure.** The **https://** ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. 
			U.S. Food and Drug Administration
				
        Search
            Menu
							
						Search FDA
									
									Submit search 
		Featured
							Contact FDA
	                FDA Guidance Documents
	                Recalls, Market Withdrawals and Safety Alerts
	                Press Announcements
	                Warning Letters
	                Advisory Committees
	                En Español

					Products
            Food
							Drugs
							Medical Devices
							Radiation-Emitting Products
							Vaccines, Blood, and Biologics
							Animal and Veterinary
							Cosmetics
							Tobacco ProductsTopics
            About FDA
							Combination Products
							Regulatory Information
							Safety
							Emergency Preparedness
							International Programs
							News and Events
							Training and Continuing Education
							Inspections and Compliance
							Science and ResearchInformation For
            Consumers
	            Patients
	            Industry
	            Health Professionals
	            Federal, State and Local Officials 
 In this section:

                CFSAN Constituent Updates

CFSAN Constituent Updates Home
          Food
          News & Events from CFSAN
          CFSAN Constituent Updates
          FDA Approves an Increase to the Amount of Vitamin D for Milk and Milk AlternativesCFSAN Constituent Updates FDA Approves an Increase to the Amount of Vitamin D for Milk and Milk Alternatives
  
  	
    Share
    Post
    Linkedin

    Email
    PrintConstituent Update

July 15, 2016

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved an increase to the amount of vitamin D that may be added as an optional ingredient to milk, and approved the addition of vitamin D to beverages made from edible plants intended as milk alternatives, such as beverages made from soy, almond, and coconut, and edible plant-based yogurt alternatives. Vitamin D was already authorized for use in soy beverages, but today’s approval increases the authorized amount for such beverages that are intended as milk alternatives.

Under the law, the FDA may approve the use of a food additive only after conducting a scientific safety review of the information provided in the petition to ensure that use of ingredients added to foods are safe for the general population. In this case, the FDA evaluated the projected human dietary exposure to vitamin D from foods and dietary supplements, safety data, and other relevant information and found these uses of vitamin D to be safe.

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is essential for human health. It comes in many forms. The two major forms are vitamin D2 and vitamin D3. Vitamin D without a subscript represents either vitamin D2 or vitamin D3 or both. The major function of vitamin D is to help with the absorption of calcium and phosphorus in the small intestine. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to abnormalities in bone metabolism, such as rickets in children or osteomalacia in adults. Excess intake of vitamin D can also be harmful, elevating calcium levels in the blood (hypercalcemia).

The approval, which amends existing food additive regulations, will allow manufacturers to voluntarily add up to 84 IU/100g of vitamin D3 to milk, 84 IU/100g of vitamin D2 to plant-based beverages intended as milk alternatives, and 89 IU/100g of vitamin D2 to plant-based yogurt alternatives.

Manufacturers may begin using the new amounts on July 18, 2016.

**For more information:**

FR Notice: Food Additives Permitted for Direct Addition to Food for Human Consumption: Vitamin D2 and Vitamin D3

                                                                                  Content current as of:
      12/07/2017
              
              
Regulated Product(s)
		 Food & BeveragesCFSAN Constituent Updates
 
 Footer Links
    FDA Archive
          About FDA
          Accessibility
      Visitor Information
          Website Policies / Privacy
          No FEAR Act
          Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
      FOIA
          HHS.gov
          USA.gov
    Contact FDA
      Follow FDA on Facebook
      Follow FDA on X
      Follow FDA on Instagram
      Follow FDA on LinkedIn
      View FDA videos on YouTube
      Subscribe to FDA RSS feeds
    FDA Homepage
    Contact Number
      1-888-INFO-FDA (1-888-463-6332) Back toTop