Updated: 9/2/2016

The Food and Drug Administration last week announced updated food additive regulations that would allow for manufacturers of milk and plant-based milk and yogurt alternates to add more vitamin D to their products. The update will allow milk to continue to claim to be an excellent source of Vitamin D, even after the Daily Value for vitamin D is raised in the updated Nutrition Facts label.

This allowance for increased vitamin D levels goes into effect immediately. The change may be of particular interest to members, since vitamin D will be a nutrient that must be declared in the new Nutrition Facts label starting in 2018.

The food additive regulations for vitamin D₃ now allow double the maximum level of vitamin D₃ previously allowed in milk, up to 84 IU per 100 grams of milk or 800 IU per quart of milk. However, no changes were made to the standard of identity for milk, which still provides for only 400 IU of vitamin D per quart of milk. In order to fortify with the higher levels, milk must be named with a nutrient content claim, such as “high vitamin D milk.”

IDFA has prepared a memo for members to provide further guidance on the implications for dairy products and labeling requirements for products with higher levels of vitamin D3 for milk.

FDA also adjusted the vitamin D limits for plant-based dairy substitutes and plant-based yogurt substitutes. No changes were made to the allowance for vitamin D fortification in yogurt.

For more information, read the announcement here or contact Cary Frye, IDFA vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs, at cfrye@idfa.org.