The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies has issued a positive scientific opinion on vitamin D2-rich baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). This will allow food supplement manufacturers to use Lallemand Vita Dyeast as a natural and vegetarian alternative source of vitamin D.
 
Summer sunlight is the best source of vitamin D, but the food we eat plays an increasing importance, especially during winter at latitudes greater than 40°N or S. Also, since more and more of the world’s population live an indoor lifestyle and use different kinds of sunscreens, this too has a negative impact on the vitamin D level. Unfortunately, there are only a few natural food sources, which would explain why at least one third of Europeans is deficient in vitamin D. Indeed, EFSA estimates that a large percentage of the population does not meet the recommended daily allowances of 8 μg/day for children and adults and of 12 μg/day for adolescents. In 2012, the mean percentile intake of vitamin D from foods among young children varied from 1.7 to 5.6 μg/day, and from 1.6 to 4.0 μg/day in adolescents. For adults, estimates of vitamin D mean intake from foods varied from 1.1 to 8.2 μg/day.
 
According to an Angus Reid survey conducted in 2012 for Lallemand in nine countries across Europe, a large proportion of European consumers (84%) believe that vitamin D plays a great role in maintaining or improving their health. This survey also offers an interesting new peek into European consumers’ views on vitamin D:
•   The most common health benefits European consumers’ associate with vitamin D are protection against osteoporosis and fracture risk (48%), followed by cardiovascular disease (20%) and influenza (20%).
•   Food sources European consumers associated with Vitamin D: Cod liver oil (41%), followed by salmon (38%) and milk (34%).
 
Since many Europeans are not meeting their needs for vitamin D and new dietary sources are needed, EFSA’s validation gives the food supplement industry an opportunity to offer a solution to this problem. Lallemand’s Lalmin Vita D will be available at 0,02% or 8000 IU/gram of yeast.