Vitamin K2 (menaquinone): authorised novel food in the EU
Vitamin K2 (menaquinone) is on the Union list of authorised novel foods (Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2470). Conditions of use and maximum levels: To be used in compliance with Directive 2002/46/EC, Regulation (EU) No 609/2013 and/or Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006
- Regulation
- Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2470, Annex, Table 1
- Listed as
- Vitamin K2 (menaquinone)
- Text version
- Consolidated text of 10 August 2026
- Version
- Consolidated text of 10 August 2026
- Official source
- Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2470, Annex, Union list of novel foods
Conditions of use and maximum levels
Table 1, column "Conditions under which the novel food may be used", as written:
- To be used in compliance with Directive 2002/46/EC, Regulation (EU) No 609/2013 and/or Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006
Additional specific labelling requirements
The designation of the novel food on the labelling of the foodstuffs containing it shall be ‘Menaquinone’ or ‘Vitamin K2’
Specification (Table 2)
Table 2 of the Annex, row with the same name, as written:
This novel food is produced by a synthetic or microbiological process.
Vitamin K2 (2-methyl-3-all-trans-polyprenyl-1,4-naphthoquinones), or the menaquinone series, is a group of prenylated naphthoquinone derivatives. The number of isoprene residues, where 1 isoprene unit consists of 5 carbons comprising the side chain, is used to characterise the menaquinone homologues containing primarily MK-7 and to a smaller extent MK-6.
Vitamin K2 (menaquinones) series with menaquinone-7 (MK-7)(n = 6) being C46H64O2, menaquinone-6 (MK-6)(n = 5) being C41H56O2 and menaquinone-4 (MK-4)(n = 3) being C31H40O2.
Chemical Name: (all-E)-2-(3,7,11,15,19,23,27-Heptamethyl-2,6,10,14,18,22,26-octacosaheptaenyl)-3-methyl-1,4-naphtalenedione
CAS Number: 2124-57-4
Molecular formula: C46H64O2
Molecular weight: 649 g/mol
Text of image
2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone (menadione moiety)
Specification of synthetic Vitamin K2 (menaquinone-7)
Appearance: Yellow powder
Purity: Max 6,0 % cis-isomer, max 2,0 % other impurities
Content: 97-102 % Menaquinone-7 (including at least 92 % all-trans Menaquinone-7)
Specifications of microbiologically produced Vitamin K2 (menaquinone-7)
Source: Bacillus subtilis spp. natto and Bacillus licheniformis
Appearance: Yellow powder or oil suspension
Source and version
Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2470, Annex, Union list of novel foods, Table 1. Consolidated text of 10 August 2026. The text above is copied from that document without change except that amendment markers are removed. It is not advice and it does not decide whether a particular product is covered.
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