MONTREAL – The Food and Drug Administration approving a petition from Lallemand, Inc. will make it easier for bakers to achieve claims for their products, according to Montreal-based Lallemand. The petition amends the food additive regulations to provide for the safe use of vitamin D2 yeast for baked foods at a maximum level of 400 International Units (I.U.) per 100 grams of finished product, which compares to the previous maximum level of 90 I.U. per 100 grams of finished product.

“Today’s change in the F.D.A. regulation will allow American bakers to claim their products as ‘high,’ ‘rich in’ or ‘excellent’ sources of vitamin D, giving them one more tool at their disposal to reinforce the contribution bread can make in a healthy diet,” Lallemand said Aug. 29. “At that level, a health claim linking the vitamin D and calcium to help reduce the risk of osteoporosis will also be allowed. In order to make that claim, the baked good is required to contain a minimum of 20% of the Recommended Daily Intake of vitamin D and calcium per serving of stated size.”

A recent Angus Reid survey conducted in the United States for Lallemand found nearly 50% of American consumers believe that vitamin D plays a great role in maintaining or improving their health and more than 50% of consumers say they would prefer to buy bread that is naturally rich in vitamins than to buy bread that is fortified with vitamins.