Vitamin Stability and Overdosing Notes

While minerals are generally very stable, vitamins can easily degrade in food, beverage, and supplement products.

Vitamin degradation is a complex process determined by the matrix of the food or drink. External factors including light, heat, pH, and oxygen, as well as manufacturing processes such as cooking and boiling, can all lead to significant vitamin degradation.

Because of these degradation factors, it is standard practice for manufacturers of heavily processed food and drink to "overdose" (apply an overage to) the level of vitamins. Adding more than is declared on the label ensures the final product meets the stated nutritional claims throughout its entire shelf life.

• Fat-Soluble Vitamins: Usually overdosed by 10–20%
• Water-Soluble Vitamins: Usually overdosed by 10–50%

The exact overage required depends heavily on your specific processing conditions. Ideally, manufacturers should test the vitamin levels in their products at multiple stages throughout their shelf life prior to launch.

Safety Considerations: Overdosing is primarily an issue with fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K), as they can build up in body fat and theoretically cause adverse effects at high levels. Excess levels of water-soluble vitamins (B and C) are relatively harmless, as the excess is naturally excreted by the body.

Please contact our friendly and knowledgeable technical sales colleagues to help guide you to the best ingredients and calculate the correct overages to achieve your desired vitamin levels.

The table below outlines the sensitivity of key vitamins to common external variables during processing and storage.

(Key: o = Stable | x = Slightly Sensitive | xx = Very Sensitive)

(Note: 'Very sensitive' refers to a reduction of around 20% after variable exposure. Source: Gadient, 1986)

When formulating premixes, some vitamins are naturally more resilient than others. Below is a ranking of relative lost activity from lowest to highest. (Source: Shurson et al., 1996)

Choosing the right format for your vitamin raw materials can significantly impact stability and handling. Compare the general characteristics of spray-dried powders versus beadlets below: