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Decisions: Vitamins

Vitamin C and Ascorbic Acid in the List of Ingredients

Question: Can the expression "vitamin C" be used to describe an ingredient in the list of ingredients?

Answer: When ascorbic acid is added to a food as a vitamin for enrichment purposes it may be declared as either "vitamin C' or "ascorbic acid" in the list of ingredients. If other forms of ascorbic acid are used, e.g., sodium ascorbate, ascorbyl palmitate, etc., the correct chemical name must be given in the list of ingredients.

Vitamin C must be declared as % DV in the Nutrition Facts table. Direct fortification, or if fortification is declared as a component of an ingredient, triggers loss of exemption on foods otherwise exempted under B.01.401.

When ascorbic acid is added to a food as a food additive, e.g., for bleaching, maturing, dough conditioning, as a preservative, etc., the required name in the list of ingredients is "ascorbic acid" (not "vitamin C"). (updated 2006)

Vitamin Names

Question: In the list of ingredients of a food, is it acceptable to list the name of a vitamin in brackets after the form of the vitamin that is added, e.g., "thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1)"?

Answer: Yes, in the list of ingredients of a food, is it acceptable to list the name of a vitamin in brackets after the form of the vitamin that is added, e.g., "thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1)".

The % daily value of any vitamin or mineral nutrients added to a food, either directly or declared as a component of an ingredient (except flour) must be declared in the Nutrition Facts table. Also, foods otherwise exempted under B.01.401 lose their exemption if fortification has occurred (where permitted). (updated 2006)

Vitamins - Source of Beta-Carotene

Question: Under what conditions can the claim "a good source of Beta-carotene" be made?

Answer: The claim "a good source of Beta-carotene" can be made for a food that meets the "good source" requirement for vitamin A. This means that the food must contain at least 15 percent of the Daily Value for Vitamin A from beta-carotene (150 retinol equivalents of Vitamin A per serving).

Foods otherwise exempted under B.01.401 lose their Nutrition Facts table exemption when the claim "a good source of Beta-carotene" is made. A Nutrition Facts table is therefore required, including a declaration of the vitamin A content per serving of the food, expressed as a percent of the daily value.

The claim "natural" must not be used to qualify "Beta carotene" because the term "natural" implies a difference which does not exist between so-called "natural" and "unnatural" Beta-carotene. (14 Feb 91). (updated 2006)