CompoAtlas

Folate (vitamin B9) in food supplements

8,742 supplements declared in France contain a form of this nutrient

Folate: in France, a food supplement may not provide more than 200 µg a day (Order of 9 May 2006, not revised since November 2006, Annex III); for adults, EFSA's upper safe limit is 1,000 µg a day (added intakes only). The doses of the 2006 Order have not been revised since the amending Order of 14 November 2006, and some were annulled by the Conseil d'État in 2011; the DGCCRF accepted higher levels for some nutrients through guidelines published until January 2019, and an update of the Order is being prepared (ministerial answer published in the Official Journal on 11 February 2025).

Order of 9 May 2006, Annex III. French orders of 9 May 2006 and 14 November 2006 as published in the Official Journal (maximum daily doses), retrieved 21 October 2026.

EFSA, Overview on Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (version 11, August 2025), retrieved 21 October 2026.

Written Question No 2686, ministry answer published in the Official Journal on 11 February 2025.

In plain words

À quoi il sert, selon les fabricants

Objectifs les plus souvent annoncés pour les compléments qui en contiennent (folates (vitamine B9)) : immunité (1335 produits), cheveux et ongles (839 produits), système nerveux (831 produits), sport (663 produits), antioxydant (502 produits).

Ce sont les objectifs déclarés par les fabricants à l'administration, pas des effets démontrés. Sur l'emballage, seules les allégations de santé autorisées par l'Union peuvent être écrites.

Compl'Alim, food supplement declarations (France), retrieved 23 October 2026.

Jusqu'où c'est sûr

Pour un adulte, l'EFSAEuropean Food Safety Authority. fixe la limite supérieure de sécurité à 1000 µg/j : c'est l'apport quotidien qui, pris sur le long terme, ne devrait pas provoquer d'effet indésirable. Au-delà, le risque augmente. Un complément n'est qu'une partie de l'apport.

Précision de l'EFSA : S'applique à l'apport combiné d'acide folique et de sels de 5-méthyltétrahydrofolate ajoutés ou en compléments ; n'inclut pas les folates naturellement présents.

EFSA, Overview on Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (version 11, August 2025), retrieved 21 October 2026.

La règle en France

En France, la dose journalière recommandée d'un complément ne doit pas apporter plus de 200 µg (arrêté du 9 mai 2006, non révisé depuis novembre 2006). Compl'Alim ne publie pas la dose des produits déclarés : comparez celle de l'étiquette à ce plafond et à la limite de sécurité de l'EFSA.

French orders of 9 May 2006 and 14 November 2006 as published in the Official Journal (maximum daily doses), retrieved 21 October 2026.

EFSA safety references

Pour ce nutriment, le repère de l'EFSA ne porte que sur les apports ajoutés (compléments, aliments enrichis), pas sur ce qu'apporte l'alimentation courante.

EFSA daily references
PopulationTypeValue
4-6 monthsUpper limit200 µg/j
7-11 monthsUpper limit200 µg/j
1-3 yearsUpper limit200 µg/j
4-6 yearsUpper limit300 µg/j
7-10 yearsUpper limit400 µg/j
11-14 yearsUpper limit600 µg/j
15-17 yearsUpper limit800 µg/j
adultsUpper limit1,000 µg/j
pregnancyUpper limit1,000 µg/j
breastfeedingUpper limit1,000 µg/j

Applies to the combined intake of folic acid and 5-methyltetrahydrofolate salts added to foods or in supplements; excludes naturally occurring folates

EFSA NDA Panel, 2023a. EFSA, Overview on Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (version 11, August 2025), retrieved 21 October 2026.

Maximum dose in France

Maximum daily dose per supplement in France: 200 µg, according to the Order of 9 May 2006.

The doses of the 2006 Order have not been revised since the amending Order of 14 November 2006, and some were annulled by the Conseil d'État in 2011; the DGCCRF accepted higher levels for some nutrients through guidelines published until January 2019, and an update of the Order is being prepared (ministerial answer published in the Official Journal on 11 February 2025).

Order of 9 May 2006, Annex III. French orders of 9 May 2006 and 14 November 2006 as published in the Official Journal (maximum daily doses), retrieved 21 October 2026.

Where to find it in food

Selected everyday foods, ranked by decreasing content across all confidence levels. Each value is at least one tenth of the maximum among the foods examined. Content varies with the food and preparation.

Content per 100 g of edible portion
FoodContentUnitCiqual confidence code
Calf liver, cooked592µgA (high)
Chicken liver, cooked578µgB (good)
Ripened lactic-set goat cheese, small round or log-shaped78.8µgA (high)

The Ciqual code indicates confidence in each value: A high, B good, C moderate, D low (a less certain value).

ANSES, Ciqual table 2025, published on 19 November 2025. Licence Ouverte 2.0.

Authorised health claims

  • « Folate contributes to maternal tissue growth during pregnancy »
    Conditions: The claim may be used only for food which is at least a source of folate as referred to in the claim SOURCE OF [NAME OF VITAMIN/S] AND/OR [NAME OF MINERAL/S] as listed in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006
  • « Folate contributes to normal amino acid synthesis »
    Conditions: The claim may be used only for food which is at least a source of folate as referred to in the claim SOURCE OF [NAME OF VITAMIN/S] AND/OR [NAME OF MINERAL/S] as listed in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.
  • « Folate contributes to normal blood formation »
    Conditions: The claim may be used only for food which is at least a source of folate as referred to in the claim SOURCE OF [NAME OF VITAMIN/S] AND/OR [NAME OF MINERAL/S] as listed in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.
  • « Folate contributes to normal homocysteine metabolism »
    Conditions: The claim may be used only for food which is at least a source of folate as referred to in the claim SOURCE OF [NAME OF VITAMIN/S] AND/OR [NAME OF MINERAL/S] as listed in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.
  • « Folate contributes to normal psychological function »
    Conditions: The claim may be used only for food which is at least a source of folate as referred to in the claim SOURCE OF [NAME OF VITAMIN/S] AND/OR [NAME OF MINERAL/S] as listed in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.
  • « Folate contributes to the normal function of the immune system »
    Conditions: The claim may be used only for food which is at least a source of folate as referred to in the claim SOURCE OF [NAME OF VITAMIN/S] AND/OR [NAME OF MINERAL/S] as listed in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.
  • « Folate contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue »
    Conditions: The claim may be used only for food which is at least a source of folate as referred to in the claim SOURCE OF [NAME OF VITAMIN/S] AND/OR [NAME OF MINERAL/S] as listed in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.
  • « Folate has a role in the process of cell division »
    Conditions: The claim may be used only for food which is at least a source of folate as referred to in the claim SOURCE OF [NAME OF VITAMIN/S] AND/OR [NAME OF MINERAL/S] as listed in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.

Official English text, as entered in the Union register. A claim may only be used under its conditions.

8 authorised claims, 0 refused or revoked. EU Register of nutrition and health claims, retrieved 21 October 2026.

Forms declared in supplements

Union list: vitamin and mineral forms that may be used in a food supplement (Directive 2002/46/EC, Annex II).

Directive 2002/46/EC on food supplements, latest consolidated version (Annex II: forms of vitamins and minerals), retrieved 23 October 2026.

Products containing it