Synthetic Vitamins

Synthetic vitamins are laboratory-manufactured versions of essential vitamins used to fortify and enrich processed food products. These include forms such as dl-alpha-tocopherol (synthetic vitamin E), cyanocobalamin (synthetic vitamin B12), folic acid (synthetic folate), retinyl palmitate (synthetic vitamin A), and ascorbic acid produced through industrial processes. Mandatory fortification programs using synthetic vitamins have been credited with significantly reducing deficiency-related conditions in populations where staple foods are fortified, including neural tube defects (folic acid) and goiter (iodine, often paired with vitamin fortification).

Synthetic vitamins are added to breakfast cereals, enriched flour and bread, fortified milk, orange juice, meal replacement drinks, protein bars, infant formula, energy drinks, fortified plant-based milks, and many packaged foods marketed with nutritional claims.

Level (high → low)Level (low → high)Name (A–Z)Name (Z–A)

AllL1L2L3L4

Shoprite, Scrunchy, Toasted Oats Sweetened Oat Cereal, Apple Cinnamon

8.15.5/10

Apple Cinnamon Sweetened Toasted Oat Cereal

8.10.0/10

Spicy Ranch

8.12.5/10

Apple Cinnamon Sweetened Toasted Oat Cereal, Apple Cinnamon

8.15.5/10

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Chocolatey, Sweetened Rice Cereal, Chocolatey, Sweetened

8.11.5/10

Chocolatey, Sweetened Rice Cereal, Chocolatey

8.11.5/10

Kellogg's Eggo Pancakes Blueberry 3.03oz

8.14.0/10

Kellogg's Cocoa Krispies Cereal 1.1oz

8.11.5/10

Kashi Golean Cereal Crunch Honey Almond Flax 14oz

8.16.5/10

Nature Valley Sweet & Salty Nut Toasted Coconut Granola Bar

8.13.0/10

Kellogg's Cocoa Krispies Cereal 1.38oz

8.11.5/10

Sugar Cookie Toast Crunch Cereal

8.14.5/10

Cinnamon Toasters Cereal

8.10.0/10

Coffee Double Energy Drink, Coffee

8.15.0/10

Toasted Coconut Peanut, Coconut, and Granola Dipped in Almond Butter Coating Sweet & Salty Nut Granola Bars

8.10.0/10

Kroger, Original Coffee Creamer

5.34.0/10

Smoothie Drinks

5.36.0/10

Passion Fruit Cocktail

5.30.0/10

Tamarind Nectar

5.30.0/10

St. Louis Style Pizza

5.35.0/10

Vanilla Blended Greek Whole Milk Yogurt, Vanilla

5.35.0/10

Smoothie, Strawberry Explosion

5.36.0/10

Old Fashioned Apple Sauce, Apple

5.30.0/10

Orange Chicken Tempura White Meat Chicken with a Sweet and Tangy Orange Sauce, Orange Chicken

5.35.5/10

Vanilla Probiotic Formula Blended Whole Milk Yogurt, Vanilla

5.34.0/10

Jalapeno String Light Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese with Jalapeno and Red Bell Peppers, Mozzarella Jalapeno

5.34.0/10

Coconut Drinkable Lowfat Yogurt, Coconut

5.36.0/10

Vanilla Greek Nonfat Yogurt, Vanilla

5.36.0/10

Coconut Blended Whole Milk Yogurt, Coconut

5.30.0/10

Neapolitan Vanilla Flavored, Chocolate and Strawberry Reduced Fat Ice Cream Layered Between Two Chocolaty Wafers Sandwiches

5.11.0/10

Classic Pasta, Spaghetti

2.89.5/10

Masarepa Yellow Corn Meal

2.80.0/10

Iberia, Valencian Rice

2.87.0/10

Enriched Macaroni Product, Classic Pasta Fettuccine

2.89.5/10

Dorado Parboiled Rice

2.88.0/10

100% Durum Semolina, Enriched Spaghetti Product

2.89.5/10

Optima Deep Frying Olive Oil

2.83.0/10

Classic Pasta Enriched Macaroni Product, Penne Rigate

2.89.5/10

Golden Canilla Parboiled Enriched Long Grain Rice

2.88.0/10

Classic Pasta Enriched Macaroni Product, Acini De Pepe

2.89.5/10

Enriched Rice Flour

2.80.0/10

Sesame Sticks & Cashews Trail Mix, Cashew & Sesame

2.87.5/10

Extra Long Grain Enriched Rice

Goya

2.87.0/10

Penne Rigate

Lowes Foods

2.89.5/10

Penne Rigate

Best Choice

2.89.5/10

Wegmans, Shredded Wheat Whole Grain Wheat Cereal

1.010.0/10

1% Lowfat Cow Milk

1.06.0/10

100% Apple Juice From Frozen Concentrate, Apple

1.00.0/10

Shredded Wheat Bite Size Shredded Whole Grain Wheat Cereal, Shredded Wheat

1.010.0/10

Milk Ultra-Pasteurized

1.05.0/10

Cloverland Farms Dairy, Vitamin D Milk

1.05.0/10

Original Whole Grain Shredded Wheat Cereal, Original

1.010.0/10

Margherita Stone Baked Italian Pizza, Margherita

1.06.0/10

Langers, 100% Juice, Grape, Grape

Langers

1.03.0/10

Whole Milk

Moo-Ville

1.05.0/10

Vitamin D Milk

Frus

1.05.0/10

Vitamin D Milk

Hiland

1.05.0/10

Vitamin D Milk

Cass-Clay

1.05.0/10

Whole Milk

Hatcher Family Dairy

1.00.0/10

Whole Milk

Hornbachers

1.05.0/10

Browse all 62,396 products →

Synthetic Vitamins can appear in ingredient lists under several names. If you see any of the following, this is the ingredient family you are looking at:

Synthetic vitamins are added to food products to restore nutrients lost during processing, to fortify staple foods as a public health measure, and to enhance the nutritional profile of products for labeling purposes. They provide standardized, consistent doses at lower cost than natural-source alternatives. Synthetic vitamins enable manufacturers to meet regulatory requirements for enriched and fortified foods and to make specific nutrient content claims on packaging. The FDA mandates fortification of certain staple foods with specific synthetic vitamins as a public health measure.

Synthetic vitamins are produced through industrial chemical synthesis or microbial fermentation processes. Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is manufactured through a multi-step process beginning with glucose, typically using the Reichstein process or a two-step fermentation method. Folic acid is synthesized from pteridine and p-aminobenzoic acid derivatives. Synthetic vitamin E (dl-alpha-tocopherol) is a racemic mixture produced from petrochemical precursors. Cyanocobalamin (B12) is produced through bacterial fermentation. These processes yield high-purity, shelf-stable vitamin compounds suitable for food fortification.

Synthetic vitamins are FDA-approved for food fortification at specified levels. Some synthetic forms differ structurally from their natural counterparts — synthetic vitamin E (dl-alpha-tocopherol) is a racemic mixture, while natural vitamin E (d-alpha-tocopherol) is a single stereoisomer. Folic acid (synthetic) is metabolized differently than food folate. The FDA mandated folic acid fortification of enriched grain products in 1998 to address neural tube defect rates. Upper intake levels (ULs) have been established by the National Academies for several vitamins.

This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.

The FDA mandates fortification of certain staple foods with specific synthetic vitamins, including folic acid in enriched grain products and vitamins A and D in milk. Specific vitamin forms and levels are regulated under standards of identity. The Nutrition Facts label reports vitamins based on their Daily Value percentage regardless of natural or synthetic origin. The EU permits only approved vitamin forms for food fortification and sets maximum levels under Regulation EC 1925/2006. Vitamin content claims must meet FDA requirements.