# Vitamins (D3, B-group, ascorbic acid)

Industrial-scale vitamin manufacturing — B-group vitamins by direct fermentation, vitamin C by two-stage bioconversion of glucose, and vitamin D3 by UV photochemistry — concentrated overwhelmingly in China for bulk ascorbic acid while the EU retains unique fermentation capacity for riboflavin and stability-engineered feed premixes.

Source: https://en.bioecon.ru/technology/vitamins-d3-b-group-ascorbic-acid/
Updated: 2026-08-18



## Overview and value chain

Markers: [EC: FAMI-QS feed additive quality standard | OECD: Food systems | Regulator: FDA (US dietary supplements cGMP), EFSA (EU), NMPA (China)]

Vitamins — D3 (cholecalciferol), the B-group (riboflavin, cobalamin) and ascorbic acid (vitamin C) — are produced industrially through a mix of direct microbial fermentation, multi-stage bioconversion and UV photochemistry, feeding animal feed premixes, food fortification and pharmaceutical/dietary supplement markets. China alone accounts for over 70% of global supply of ascorbic acid, B-group vitamins and vitamin D3 precursors, having replaced the classical chemical Reichstein process with a two-stage glucose fermentation route that cut both environmental impact and production cost by roughly 40%. DSM-Firmenich continues expanding its Humiome vitamin B2 platform, launching a microbiome-targeted riboflavin product with a two-layer coating designed to deliver more than 90% of the vitamin to the colon to support gut microbiome health, alongside a November 2024 multivitamin solution targeting healthy longevity among Japanese seniors. BASF markets Lutavit A/D3 1000/200 NXT, a combined vitamin A and D3 animal-nutrition premix in a fixed 5:1 ratio suitable across pig, poultry, ruminant, aquaculture and pet species, drawing on more than 50 years of vitamin manufacturing experience spanning oily vitamin products and microencapsulated spray-dried beadlets. In China, Northeast Pharmaceutical Group — one of the world's three leading vitamin C suppliers — reported in March 2026 that its plants were running at full capacity, with vitamin C and piracetam output up nearly 15% year-on-year in the first two months of the year and core products passing multiple international customer audits.

The key directions of vitamin manufacturing are:
1. **Two-stage vitamin C fermentation:** bioconverting D-sorbitol to L-sorbose via *Acetobacter suboxydans*, then L-sorbose to 2-keto-L-gulonic acid via a symbiotic *Ketogulonicigenium vulgare*/*Bacillus megaterium* culture, replacing the classical chemical Reichstein process.
2. **Riboflavin (B2) fermentation:** direct overproduction by the ascomycete fungus *Ashbya gossypii*, which naturally hyper-accumulates riboflavin as bright-yellow crystals in the culture broth.
3. **Cobalamin (B12) fermentation:** aerobic *Pseudomonas denitrificans* or two-stage *Propionibacterium freudenreichii* fermentation requiring cobalt ion and DMB precursor supplementation.
4. **Vitamin D3 photochemistry:** UV irradiation of 7-dehydrocholesterol extracted from lanolin (or from yeast-derived ergosterol for vegan D3), followed by thermal isomerization to cholecalciferol.

### Sectoral value chain

```
[Substrate/precursor sourcing (sorbitol, cholesterol, cobalt salts)] ──> [Biosynthesis/bioconversion] ──> [Downstream extraction & purification]
                                                                                                          │
                                                                                             (Crystallization, microencapsulation)
                                                                                                          │
     [Animal feed premixes / food fortification / pharma & supplements] <──── [Stabilization] <─── [Compliance certification (FAMI-QS/USP/EP)]
```

### Value chain levels

| Level | Description | Key inputs/outputs |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Substrate preparation** | Preparing precursor substrates (D-sorbitol from glucose hydrogenation, lanolin-derived cholesterol, cobalt salts). | **In:** Glucose, lanolin, cobalt salts.<br>**Out:** Vitamin-specific precursor feedstock. |
| **Biosynthesis/bioconversion** | Fermenting or photochemically converting the precursor into the target vitamin molecule. | **In:** Precursor feedstock, producer strain or UV source.<br>**Out:** Crude vitamin-containing broth or reaction mixture. |
| **Downstream extraction** | Separating the vitamin from biomass/reaction byproducts via centrifugation, solvent extraction or chromatography. | **In:** Crude broth/mixture, extraction solvents, chromatography resins.<br>**Out:** Purified vitamin concentrate. |
| **Crystallization/purification** | Crystallizing or further purifying the vitamin to pharmaceutical or feed-grade specification. | **In:** Purified concentrate, crystallization equipment.<br>**Out:** Crystalline or high-purity vitamin substance. |
| **Microencapsulation/stabilization** | Coating the vitamin in lipid/starch matrices or antioxidant systems to protect against oxidation and heat during feed pelletizing. | **In:** Pure vitamin substance, coating materials, spray-chilling/fluid-bed equipment.<br>**Out:** Stabilized, heat-resistant vitamin premix beadlets. |
| **Compliance certification** | Testing and certifying the finished product against FAMI-QS, USP, EP or BP pharmacopeial standards. | **In:** Stabilized product, quality-testing lab.<br>**Out:** Certified vitamin product ready for feed/food/pharma distribution. |

Cross-cutting technologies of the sector:
- **Two-stage vitamin C bioconversion:** a symbiotic bacterial fermentation route (replacing the classical Reichstein chemical process) that converts D-sorbitol to 2-keto-L-gulonic acid, the direct precursor lactonized into ascorbic acid.
- **Ashbya gossypii riboflavin overproduction:** a natural fungal hyper-producer strain that accumulates vitamin B2 as visible yellow crystals directly in the fermentation broth.
- **Vitamin microencapsulation:** spray-chilling or fluid-bed coating technology that embeds vitamins in wax or hydrogenated-fat shells, protecting them from oxidative degradation during high-temperature feed pelletizing (up to 90°C).

---

## US

The United States is the world's largest consumer market for vitamin supplements and premixes, with FDA cGMP oversight anchoring quality while domestic biotech innovation targets next-generation fermentation routes.

### Vegan D3 market growth, precision fermentation R&D, FDA cGMP oversight
- **Vegan D3 market growth:** the US market for vegan vitamin D3 — sourced from UV-irradiated lichen or specialized ergosterol-synthesizing yeast strains — continues displacing traditional lanolin-derived animal D3, reflecting broader plant-based consumer demand.
- **Precision fermentation R&D:** American biotech developers are pursuing cell-free and microbial platforms to synthesize costly B-group vitamins (particularly B12) directly from methane or carbon dioxide feedstocks, an area attracting venture capital investment.
- **FDA cGMP oversight:** the FDA maintains strict cGMP compliance requirements for dietary supplement vitamin substances, routinely auditing imported raw materials for residual solvents and heavy metals.

---

## CN

China is the unrivaled global hegemon of vitamin production, supplying over 70% of world demand for ascorbic acid, B-group vitamins and vitamin D3 precursors through mega-scale fermentation infrastructure.

### Northeast Pharmaceutical's vitamin C leadership, Zhejiang NHU's feed-vitamin scale, two-stage fermentation dominance
- **Northeast Pharmaceutical Group:** one of the world's three leading vitamin C suppliers, reported in March 2026 that its plants were running at full capacity, with vitamin C and piracetam output up nearly 15% year-on-year in the first two months of the year and core products passing multiple international customer audits.
- **Zhejiang NHU:** a major producer of feed-grade vitamins A, E and D3 alongside B-group vitamins, operating large-scale fermentation infrastructure concentrated in China's vitamin-manufacturing heartland provinces.
- **Two-stage fermentation dominance:** Chinese producers' two-stage glucose fermentation route for vitamin C has fully displaced the classical chemical Reichstein process, cutting both environmental impact and production cost by roughly 40%, while government-mandated environmental modernization is pushing producers toward closed-loop water systems and fully fermentative B12 synthesis routes that eliminate toxic cyanide-based intermediates.

---

## EU

The European Union leads in high-stability, protected vitamin formulations for premium animal feed premixes, retaining unique fermentation capacity for riboflavin production independent of Asian supply.

### DSM-Firmenich's Humiome B2 platform, BASF's Lutavit premix portfolio, EFSA thermal-stability standards
- **DSM-Firmenich:** continues expanding its Humiome vitamin B2 platform, launching a microbiome-targeted riboflavin product with a two-layer coating designed to deliver more than 90% of the vitamin to the colon to support gut microbiome health, alongside a November 2024 multivitamin solution targeting healthy longevity among Japanese seniors.
- **BASF:** markets Lutavit A/D3 1000/200 NXT, a combined vitamin A and D3 animal-nutrition premix in a fixed 5:1 ratio suitable across pig, poultry, ruminant, aquaculture and pet species, drawing on more than 50 years of vitamin manufacturing experience spanning oily products and microencapsulated spray-dried beadlets.
- **EFSA thermal-stability standards:** the EU's food safety authority applies rigorous scrutiny to vitamin stability under feed-pelletizing heat conditions (up to 90°C), driving European producers to develop lipid-starch matrix microencapsulation technology, while Germany and Switzerland retain unique fermentation capacity for riboflavin production based on *Ashbya gossypii*, ensuring the European market's independence from Asian B2 supply.

---

## Leading companies and research institutes

| Company / Institute | Country | Key products / platforms | Tech features | Status 2026 |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **DSM-Firmenich** | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | *Humiome* B2, multivitamin solutions | Colon-targeted riboflavin delivery (2024-2025) | commercial |
| **BASF** | 🇩🇪 Germany | *Lutavit* A/D3 premix | Combined vitamin A/D3 premix, 50+ years experience | commercial |
| **Zhejiang NHU** | 🇨🇳 China | Feed-grade vitamins A, E, D3, B-group | Large-scale fermentation infrastructure | commercial |
| **Northeast Pharmaceutical** | 🇨🇳 China | Vitamin C, piracetam | World top-3 vitamin C supplier, full capacity (2026) | commercial |

---

## Tech stack and innovations

The vitamin manufacturing stack combines classical fermentation biology, immobilized-cell biotransformation and selective physicochemical separation methods:

1. **Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) production:**
   - The ascomycete fungus *Ashbya gossypii* is a natural hyper-producer of riboflavin, overexpressing key enzymes of the purine and ribulose-5-phosphate synthesis pathway; riboflavin accumulates in the cytoplasm and is released into the culture broth as bright-yellow crystals.
2. **Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) production:**
   - *Pseudomonas denitrificans* (aerobic process) or *Propionibacterium freudenreichii* (two-stage process combining anaerobic precursor synthesis with aerobic side-chain attachment) require cobalt ions and 5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole (DMB) precursor supplementation in the fermentation medium.
3. **Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) two-stage bioconversion:**
   - Stage one oxidizes D-sorbitol into L-sorbose via *Acetobacter suboxydans*; stage two oxidizes L-sorbose into 2-keto-L-gulonic acid (2-KLG) via a symbiotic culture of *Ketogulonicigenium vulgare* and *Bacillus megaterium*, where *B. megaterium* supplies purines and growth factors to *K. vulgare*; the final chemical step lactonizes and esterifies 2-KLG under heat and hydrochloric acid to form L-ascorbic acid.
4. **Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) photochemistry:**
   - Provitamin 7-dehydrocholesterol is extracted from lanolin, then photochemically ring-opened under UV irradiation (290-310 nm wavelength, excimer lamps) followed by thermal isomerization into cholecalciferol.

---

## Value chains and production pipelines

### Industrial pipeline for producing vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) via two-stage fermentation

```
┌───────────────────────────┐      ┌───────────────────────────┐
│ 1. Glucose hydrogenation   │ ───> │ 2. First bioconversion     │
│    to D-sorbitol                │      │    stage (sorbitol→sorbose)     │
└───────────────────────────┘      └───────────────────────────┘
                                                 │
                                                 ▼
┌───────────────────────────┐      ┌───────────────────────────┐
│ 4. Filtration, acidification│ <─── │ 3. Second bioconversion    │
│    & lactonization              │      │    stage (sorbose→2-KLG)        │
└───────────────────────────┘      └───────────────────────────┘
              │
              ▼
┌───────────────────────────┐      ┌───────────────────────────┐
│ 5. Purification,            │ ───> │ 6. Centrifugation, vacuum  │
│    decolorization & crystallization│      │    drying & packaging           │
└───────────────────────────┘      └───────────────────────────┘
```

#### Stage 1: Glucose hydrogenation to D-sorbitol
Crystalline D-glucose is dissolved in demineralized water and catalytically hydrogenated over a Raney nickel catalyst at 120°C, yielding liquid D-sorbitol that is purified of residual nickel ions on ion-exchange resins.

#### Stage 2: First bioconversion stage (sorbitol to sorbose)
The sterilized D-sorbitol medium is fermented aerobically with *Acetobacter suboxydans* in a 100,000-liter fermenter, fully oxidizing sorbitol to L-sorbose over 24-30 hours at 32°C.

#### Stage 3: Second bioconversion stage (sorbose to 2-KLG)
The L-sorbose solution is transferred to a second fermenter and inoculated with the *Ketogulonicigenium vulgare*/*Bacillus megaterium* symbiotic culture; controlled fermentation (pH held at 6.5-7.0 with soda) over 48-60 hours precipitates the sodium salt of 2-keto-L-gulonic acid.

#### Stage 4: Filtration, acidification and lactonization
Cells are separated by disc centrifugation or ultrafiltration; the 2-KLG sodium salt solution is acidified with hydrochloric acid to precipitate free 2-KLG, which undergoes acid-catalyzed lactonization at 80°C to form crude ascorbic acid.

#### Stage 5: Purification, decolorization and crystallization
The crude ascorbic acid solution passes through activated carbon for decolorization, followed by ion-exchange desalting on anionic and cationic resin columns, then vacuum evaporation and crystallization at 15°C.

#### Stage 6: Centrifugation, vacuum drying and packaging
White ascorbic acid crystals are separated by centrifuge, dried in a vacuum paddle dryer at 55°C to below 0.1% moisture, then screened and packed into cardboard drums with aluminum liners.