Vitamin D Fortification in Yogurt and Kefir

Summary#

The Marketing Authorization for Vitamin D in Yogurt and Kefir (SOR/2024-88) lets manufacturers voluntarily add vitamin D to dairy-based yogurt, drinkable yogurt and kefir if they meet specified amounts. The authorization was registered on May 15, 2024 and came into force on that date.

What it does#

• Makes an exception to parts of the Food and Drugs Act and the Food and Drug Regulations so vitamin D can be added to certain dairy yogurts and kefir.
• Sets specific vitamin D levels that must be met for products to use the exemption:
  • Yogurt (not drinkable): plain 5 μg per 100 g; fruit/flavoured 3.8–5 μg per 100 g.
  • Drinkable yogurt: plain 5.2 μg per 100 mL; fruit/flavoured 3.9–5.2 μg per 100 mL.
  • Kefir: plain 2.7 μg per 100 mL; fruit/flavoured 2.3–2.7 μg per 100 mL.
• Allows manufacturers to choose whether to fortify products; it is a voluntary change, not a mandatory requirement.
• Confirms Health Canada will monitor vitamin D intakes and expects the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to enforce compliance under existing inspection programs.

Who's affected#

• Yogurt and kefir manufacturers and importers — including large firms that told Health Canada they were interested (e.g. Danone, General Mills, Lactalis).
• Dairy processors and dairy farmers who supply ingredients for these products.
• Consumers who eat dairy-based yogurt and kefir — especially people who might not get enough vitamin D from other foods.
• Public health groups and regulators involved in nutrition and food safety, including Health Canada and the CFIA.
• Provincial regulators in places with yogurt standards of identity, such as Quebec, Manitoba and Nova Scotia, where provincial rules may need alignment or different product labels.
• People who use plant-based yogurt or kefir alternatives are not covered by this authorization; Health Canada says it will consider those products in future regulatory updates.

Why it matters#

• Vitamin D supports bone health and tests suggest about 19% of people in Canada have blood levels considered inadequate. Adding vitamin D to popular dairy foods could help reduce that gap.
• The set amounts aim to provide meaningful nutrition (plain products were set to deliver about 25% of the daily value per serving), while keeping intake below levels considered risky.
• Because the change is voluntary, real-world effects depend on which companies choose to fortify products. If many do, shoppers will see more fortified yogurt and kefir options; if few do, the change will have limited impact.
• The authorization also makes it easier to sell some imported fortified yogurts in Canada, improving trade alignment with other countries that already permit similar fortification.