Vitamin and mineral claims on beverages: hitting “source of” and “high in” thresholds

“Source of vitamin C.” “High in B vitamins.” “With added zinc.” These nutrition claims are powerful on a beverage label — and they're not free text. Each depends on the drink actually delivering a defined amount of the nutrient, measured against reference intakes. For fortified and functional beverages, qualifying for these claims, and staying qualified, is a precise numbers game.

The thresholds are defined

In the EU, a “source of” a vitamin or mineral generally requires a significant amount relative to the nutrient reference value, and “high in” requires roughly double that. The amounts are defined per 100 g or 100 ml, and for beverages the per-100-ml basis is what counts. The claim is earned by the level, not by the presence of the ingredient.

Beverages have a dilution problem

A drink is mostly water, so hitting a “high in” threshold per 100 ml can require a meaningful dose of the nutrient — which interacts with taste, stability, and cost. Formulators have to balance the level needed to qualify for the claim against what the beverage can carry without turning bitter, cloudy, or unstable. The claim ambition drives the formula.

Shelf life makes it harder

Because the claim has to hold throughout shelf life and vitamins degrade in liquids, the level at the end of life — not just at filling — has to meet the threshold. That's why beverages use overages: you formulate above the claim so the product still qualifies when the consumer opens it months later. The claim, the overage, and the shelf life are one calculation.

Keep the claim tied to the level

A reformulation, a cost-driven dose reduction, or an overage that's too small can drop a nutrient below its threshold and quietly invalidate a claim already on the label. Keeping each claim linked to the qualifying level in the formula is what catches this before it becomes a mislabeled product.

This is general information, not regulatory or legal advice. Requirements differ by market and change over time, so confirm current rules with the relevant authority or a qualified regulatory expert before relying on them.

Where Lemoniq fits

Lemoniq checks each nutrient against its claim threshold on a per-100-ml and per-serving basis, accounts for overage and shelf-life retention, and links the claim to the level — so a beverage qualifies for “source of” or “high in” and stays qualified through to end of life.

The takeaway

Vitamin and mineral claims on drinks are earned by defined thresholds per 100 ml, held through shelf life with overage. Tying each claim to its qualifying level in the formula is what lets a beverage make the claim and keep it true.

Lemoniq checks beverage nutrient claims against their thresholds, end to end. See how it works