nutrient

Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)

A water-soluble vitamin whose coenzyme forms support oxidation-reduction reactions and energy metabolism.

Riboflavin is converted to flavin mononucleotide and flavin adenine dinucleotide, which participate in many enzyme reactions. Light can degrade riboflavin in exposed foods.

What it does

Riboflavin-derived cofactors help enzymes transfer electrons during energy production and support metabolism of fats, drugs and other compounds. They also help maintain normal antioxidant enzyme systems and activate vitamin B6.

Where it comes from

Milk and dairy products, eggs, meat, fish and fortified foods are common sources; food form and processing affect measured content.

Food sources

Per 100 g

Food amounts and reference percentages, both per 100 g
Food	Per 100 g	Daily reference
Almonds, dry-roasted and salted	1.57 mg	98.13%
Roasted beef tenderloin	0.4 mg	25%
Greek yogurt, plain nonfat	0.28 mg	17.56%
Oat milk, unsweetened and refrigerated	0.28 mg	17.56%
Plain whole-milk yogurt	0.24 mg	15.19%

Show 22 more foods

Food amounts and reference percentages, both per 100 g
Food	Per 100 g	Daily reference
Cottage cheese, 2% fat	0.23 mg	14.63%
Atlantic sardines, canned in oil (SR Legacy 2018)	0.23 mg	14.19%
Spinach	0.19 mg	12.13%
Spinach, raw (SR Legacy 2018)	0.19 mg	11.81%
Braised chicken breast	0.19 mg	11.69%
Braised chicken drumstick	0.18 mg	11.25%
Atlantic salmon, farmed, raw (SR Legacy 2018)	0.16 mg	9.69%
Low-fat milk, 1% and fortified	0.14 mg	8.75%
Atlantic salmon, farmed, cooked (SR Legacy 2018)	0.14 mg	8.44%
Hummus, commercial	0.12 mg	7.19%
Rainbow trout, wild, raw (SR Legacy 2018)	0.11 mg	6.56%
Orange bell pepper, raw	0.1 mg	6.37%
Brown rice, long-grain, raw	0.1 mg	6.37%
Mature carrots, raw	0.1 mg	5.94%
Soy milk, unsweetened and shelf-stable	0.08 mg	5.25%
Light tuna, canned in water, drained	0.08 mg	5.13%
White rice, long-grain, raw	0.08 mg	5%
Lentils, cooked and salted (SR Legacy 2018)	0.07 mg	4.56%
Red Delicious apple, raw	0.07 mg	4.13%
Grape tomatoes, raw	0.07 mg	4.06%
Navel orange, raw	0.05 mg	3.19%
Carrots, frozen and unprepared	0.05 mg	2.94%

Compared with EFSA’s adult reference of 1.6 mg/day.

About these amounts

These values describe the named food and preparation. A 100 g comparison is not a suggested serving. Small amounts are rounded for display; an unreported amount is not zero.

Healthy European adults. Population reference intake: 1.6 mg/day. These are population references, not individual targets.

Portions recorded by the source

Almonds, dry-roasted and salted: 1 cup (135 g) — 2.12 mg, 132.47% of the daily reference.
Roasted beef tenderloin: 1 roast (462 g) — 1.85 mg, 115.5% of the daily reference.
Greek yogurt, plain nonfat: 1 container (156 g) — 0.44 mg, 27.4% of the daily reference.
Cottage cheese, 2% fat: 1 cup (220 g) — 0.51 mg, 32.18% of the daily reference.
Braised chicken breast: 1 piece (174 g) — 0.33 mg, 20.34% of the daily reference.
Braised chicken drumstick: 1 drumstick (104 g) — 0.19 mg, 11.7% of the daily reference.
Low-fat milk, 1% and fortified: 1 cup (246 g) — 0.34 mg, 21.53% of the daily reference.
Hummus, commercial: 2 tablespoon (33.9 g) — 0.04 mg, 2.44% of the daily reference.
Light tuna, canned in water, drained: 1 can (142 g) — 0.12 mg, 7.28% of the daily reference.

The source records and EFSA guidance are linked in References below.

Worth knowing

Light can reduce riboflavin. Riboflavin is light-sensitive. Packaging and storage can therefore affect the amount retained in an exposed food or drink, even when the food name is unchanged.

A closer look

Two helper molecules made from B2

Cells turn riboflavin into FMN and FAD. These helper molecules carry electrons in reactions involved in energy production and other cellular work. They are working forms of B2, not separate vitamins to obtain from food.

References

Source-checked local draft.
Human editorial review pending.