PARMA, ITALY — Baker’s yeast with vitamin D, already approved for use in the United States, soon will be available in Europe. The European Food Safety Authority’s Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies has found no safety concerns for baker’s yeast treated with UV irradiation to induce the conversion of ergosterol to vitamin D2.

Lallemand, Inc., Montreal, applied for the safety ruling. The company said it intends to use the food ingredient as an alternative source of vitamin D for food supplements and for fortification of yeast-leavened bread, rolls and fine pastry at maximum concentrations of 5 micrograms of vitamin D2 per 100 grams of the food products.

The E.F.S.A. panel pointed out the ingredient’s source (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) has a long history of safe food use. Lallemand expects the baker’s yeast with vitamin D to be available in Europe at the end of the second quarter.

“Since many Europeans are not meeting their needs for vitamin D and new dietary sources are needed, E.F.S.A.’s validation gives the baking industry a golden opportunity to offer a solution to this problem,” said Jean Chagnon, chief executive officer and president of Lallemand. “Lallemand’s baker’s yeasts are a vegetarian and natural source of vitamin D, enabling bakers to easily enhance the vitamin D content of their breads and other baked goods.”