Lallemand Bio-Ingredients targets vitamin D health boosts after UK approves UV-treated yeast

29 May 2023 --- Lallemand Bio-Ingredients has received authorization from the Ministers of Primary Care and Public Health in England, Scotland and Wales to expand the use categories for its Lalmin Vita D yeast in Great Britain. The regulatory amendments now allows “UV-treated baker’s yeast” to be used as a vitamin D source in 26 food categories.

According to the global biotech company, the change allows it to market the product in Great Britain under the same terms of authorization as in the EU and Northern Ireland.

“The health benefits of vitamin D continue to be proven in the scientific community,” says Celia Martin, global regulatory affairs director for Lallemand Bio-Ingredients. “Our vitamin D yeast was the first vitamin D novel food approved in the EU before Brexit, and we’re proud to continue our efforts to expand the use of this important micronutrient.”

The authorization will provide more ways for manufacturers to fortify food post-Brexit.Additionally, the company reveals it has submitted an application dossier to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seeking to extend the use of the yeast product into 18 food categories. It expects approval for the expansion later this year.

New food categories
The new authorization significantly expands the list of food categories in which the ingredient can now be used.

The categories include food supplements, RTMs, cereal-based products, infant formula, processed fruit and vegetables, spices, seasonings, protein products, cheese, dairy desserts, fermented milk, dairy powders and meal replacements. 

“Manufacturers looking for a non-animal, natural and sustainable source of vitamin D2 can benefit from our ingredient,” Martin stresses.

Vitamin D fortification
The authorization also regulates how much vitamin D can be included per 100 g of each product. For instance, in an RTM, there can be 3 mcg of vitamin D for every 100 g of food. Similarly, there can be 1.5 mcg for 100 g of processed fruit products and 5 mcg per 100 g of cereal-based products.Lalmin Vita D can now be used in specific amounts across 26 food categories.

Lallemand Bio-Ingredients underscores that the Lalmin Vita D approval will help the UK address the growing recognition of the health benefits of vitamin D and the global issue of insufficient vitamin D levels in the population.

Recent studies have shown that vitamin D plays crucial roles in the human immune system, with researchers in Italy revealing that low vitamin D levels were associated with an increased risk of developing Long COVID symptoms.

Additionally, recent studies have also shown that proper vitamin D levels could help fight against dementia and prediabetes. Other research has shown that it can reduce inflammation after resistance training and may even lower suicide attempts among military veterans.

By William Bradford Nichols