nutrient

Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)

A water-soluble vitamin incorporated into coenzyme A and acyl carrier proteins for metabolism.

Educational draft · Human scientific and editorial review pending. About review status

Pantothenic acid occurs widely in foods, usually as part of coenzyme A or acyl carrier proteins. Digestion releases the vitamin before absorption.

Food sources

Per 100 g

Food amounts and reference percentages, both per 100 g
Food	Per 100 g	Daily reference
Braised chicken breast	1.58 mg	31.6%
Atlantic salmon, farmed, raw (SR Legacy 2018)	1.55 mg	31%
Atlantic salmon, farmed, cooked (SR Legacy 2018)	1.48 mg	29.6%
Braised chicken drumstick	1.1 mg	22%
Rainbow trout, wild, raw (SR Legacy 2018)	0.93 mg	18.56%

Show 11 more foods

Food amounts and reference percentages, both per 100 g
Food	Per 100 g	Daily reference
Atlantic sardines, canned in oil (SR Legacy 2018)	0.64 mg	12.84%
Lentils, cooked and salted (SR Legacy 2018)	0.64 mg	12.76%
Cottage cheese, 2% fat	0.51 mg	10.16%
Low-fat milk, 1% and fortified	0.37 mg	7.36%
Greek yogurt, plain nonfat	0.33 mg	6.64%
Hummus, commercial	0.32 mg	6.36%
Navel orange, raw	0.26 mg	5.22%
Almonds, dry-roasted and salted	0.24 mg	4.74%
Carrots, frozen and unprepared	0.2 mg	3.92%
Light tuna, canned in water, drained	0.15 mg	2.96%
Spinach, raw (SR Legacy 2018)	0.07 mg	1.3%

Compared with EFSA’s adult reference of 5 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. Adequate intake: 5 mg/day. These are population references, not individual targets.

Portions recorded by the source

Braised chicken breast: 1 piece (174 g) — 2.75 mg, 54.98% of the daily reference.
Braised chicken drumstick: 1 drumstick (104 g) — 1.14 mg, 22.88% of the daily reference.
Cottage cheese, 2% fat: 1 cup (220 g) — 1.12 mg, 22.35% of the daily reference.
Low-fat milk, 1% and fortified: 1 cup (246 g) — 0.91 mg, 18.11% of the daily reference.
Greek yogurt, plain nonfat: 1 container (156 g) — 0.52 mg, 10.36% of the daily reference.
Hummus, commercial: 2 tablespoon (33.9 g) — 0.11 mg, 2.16% of the daily reference.
Almonds, dry-roasted and salted: 1 cup (135 g) — 0.32 mg, 6.4% of the daily reference.
Light tuna, canned in water, drained: 1 can (142 g) — 0.21 mg, 4.2% of the daily reference.

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

How it works

What it does

Coenzyme A carries acyl groups through fatty-acid synthesis and breakdown, the citric-acid cycle and other pathways. Pantothenate is also needed to make acetyl-CoA, a hub connecting carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism.

Where it comes from

Meat, eggs, legumes, mushrooms, whole grains and many other foods contribute; deficiency is rare in people eating a varied diet.

Worth knowing

Deficiency is uncommon. Pantothenic acid occurs in many foods. Dietary deficiency is very rare outside severe malnutrition or unusual medical circumstances.

A closer look

From food to coenzyme A

Food supplies pantothenic acid partly within larger molecules that digestion breaks apart. After absorption, cells use it to make coenzyme A, which helps move carbon-containing groups during fat and energy metabolism.

References

Source-checked local draft.
Human editorial review pending.

Take it into the kitchen

Explore this nutrient in simple meals. Recipe pages show estimated amounts and missing data.

Egg mushroom brown rice · 20 min →

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Kale mushroom breakfast skillet · 20 min →

Compare meals by vitamin b5 (pantothenic acid) →