Plant-Based Vitamin Sources: Challenges and Innovations
Introduction
While many vitamins are traditionally sourced from animal products, plant-based vitamins and minerals are a growing trend. Consumer interest in plant-based products and vegan lifestyles have skyrocketed over the past few years, and manufacturers are taking notice.
Vitamin sourcing is based on complex science. It can be difficult to find plant-based sources of some vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B12, vitamin D, iron, and the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA, which are traditionally derived from animal products. Others may have lower bioavailability when derived from a non-animal source. But recent innovations are helping companies overcome these challenges as they pursue development of plant-based supplement options.
Plant-based vitamin trends
Consumers are increasingly looking for plant-based products, and this includes supplements. Analysts predict an 11.9% compound annual growth rate for plant-based products over the next six years and a 11.9% CAGR for plant-based supplements from 2020 until 2028. Substituting plant-based for animal-derived products can also open doors to obtaining Kosher, Halal, or vegan certification, which are important to a growing number of consumers.
The science behind vitamin and mineral sourcing
Why is it so challenging to produce multivitamins that contain no animal products? Vitamins are chemical compounds that often have a complex structure. Some vitamins are naturally found in meat, fish, eggs, or dairy, while others are found in plants, fungi, or algae, and some have broad sources in many living things.
For supplement production, vitamins can be derived from their natural sources, while some can be synthesized chemically or produced through fermentations with bacteria or other organisms. Minerals are based on a single element, like iron or calcium, but can be found in different forms in animal versus vegan sources. For some vitamins and minerals, different chemical forms found in different sources can impact our body’s ability to use the nutrients effectively.
Here are some of the vitamins and minerals that are difficult to produce from a vegan source and innovative solutions scientists are developing.
Vitamin D
Animal-derived foods, including oily fish, egg yolks, and liver, are sources of cholecalciferol, or vitamin D3. Lanolin (the oil from sheep’s wool) is a common cholecalciferol source for supplement manufacturing. Certain mushrooms are high in ergocalciferol, or vitamin D2.
In the human body, both plant-derived D2 and animal-derived D3 must be converted into 25-hydroxyvitamin D before being used. The research is not conclusive, but scientists suspect that vitamin D2 may not be as easily converted into the active form as D3 because of differences in the transport, enzyme affinity, and degradation of the two compounds in the human body. Some studies have shown that supplemented D3 leads to a greater increase in serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D than does the equivalent amount of D2, while others have not found a difference.
Mushrooms grown in the dark – as is the case with many commercially produced mushrooms - do not contain vitamin D, but they do contain a precursor, ergosterol. UV treatment of certain mushrooms and yeasts can convert ergosterol into vitamin D2 for development of plant-based supplements.
Iron
Iron is found as heme iron in animals and as non-heme iron in plants. Heme iron is better absorbed, and research shows that it takes more non-heme iron to reach recommended daily values as compared to heme iron. So, while it is possible to provide iron from soy and other legumes, spinach, nuts, seeds, or even chocolate, the differences in bioavailability are an important consideration.
Vitamin B12
Bacteria and archaea produce all vitamin B12 found in nature. Plants, animals, and fungi lack the enzymes needed to produce B12, or cobalamin, on their own. Meat, fish, and many animal-derived foods are good sources of B12. Still, the animals in question obtain B12 either from bacteria found in their digestive tracts or from food sources containing B12-producing bacteria.
Some traditional fermented foods, like tempeh, can contain vitamin B12, albeit in very low amounts. Today, manufacturers often use laboratory bacterial fermentations to produce vitamin B12 for supplements.
Plant- and fungal-derived foods are typically devoid of vitamin B12, but certain algae, including nori, spirulina, and chlorella, may contain vitamin B12 due to associations with bacteria. However, B12 concentrations in these sources are highly variable, and they can also contain “pseudovitamin B12”- molecules that are similar to true B12 but are nutritionally inactive. Without careful testing, these molecules may be mistaken for one of the four nutritionally active forms of vitamin B12.
DHA/EPA
Algae oil is a source of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. The most common sources of these fatty acids are fish and fish oil, but algae oil is a good vegan source.
Testing for Plant-Based Supplements
Measuring different forms of a vitamin may require different sample preparation, extraction, and quantitative methods. When switching to a plant-based source, supplement manufacturers must know the requirements for accurately testing for the target form(s) of the nutrient. For example, pseudovitamin B12 molecules found in certain algae may appear to be true vitamin B12 when using microbiological assays using Lactobacillus. Also, some vitamins are degraded by light, air, or heat exposure, so research scientists must handle samples carefully. The US FDA and other regulatory bodies set requirements for how the different forms of vitamins are measured and listed.
If you’ve made changes to your products or developed new offerings to meet consumers' interest in plant-based vitamins, it’s important to understand how testing requirements might change. Eurofins can help you develop a testing strategy that meets your goals and satisfies regulatory requirements. Our experienced professionals will partner with you to determine the best testing methods for the vitamin and mineral forms in your product. Our quick turnaround and focus on delivering excellent customer service set us apart.
