Is vitamin d2 vegan?

Vitamin D2, also known by the chemical name ergocalciferol, is a fat-soluble secosteroid used as a nutrient fortifier and dietary supplement. It is manufactured commercially by exposing ergosterol, a compound extracted from yeast or cultivated fungi, to ultraviolet irradiation. This photochemical process mirrors the natural synthesis that occurs when mushrooms are exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D2 is frequently added to plant-based milk alternatives, breakfast cereals, fortified fruit juices, margarines, and multivitamin preparations.

vitamin D2 is vegan because it is derived entirely from fungal and microbial sources with no animal inputs. Unlike vitamin D3, which is commonly extracted from lanolin obtained from sheep wool, vitamin D2 utilizes yeast sterols as its starting material. Because no animal tissues or animal byproducts are used during its synthesis or refinement, foods and supplements fortified with vitamin D2 are suitable for a vegan diet.