IADSA, which represents 57 national trade associations across six continents, promotes free trade for dietary supplements and a regulatory framework to protect this. The international body values the global dietary supplement market at over US$60.2bn, with the biggest markets being the United States, the European Union and Japan.

The organization recently gave the global regulatory environment a 'six out of ten' for improvements made, with the missing four points being lost for technical barriers to trade such as the categorization of supplements as medicines in some regions and the continued struggle to keep certain food additives from being banned by the Codex Alimentarius.

"Unjustified restrictions continue on the sale of supplements in many parts of the world, but overall it would appear that legislation is moving in the right direction," said David Pineda, IADSA's manager of regulatory affairs. "In terms of improved regulations that prevent barriers to trade, 2006 was a good year."

According to IADSA, favourable regulatory developments in 2006 included South Africa's decision to create a draft law for complementary medicines and dietary supplements and the Association of South East Asian Nations' (ASEAN) discussions on the harmonisation of food supplements.

In 2006 IADSA prevented the removal of four additives from dietary supplements - iron oxides, castor oil, chlorophylls/copper complexes and erythrosine. In addition, IADSA succeeded in raising the levels of BHA, BHT and carnauba wax.

The motive behind preserving such additives is to eliminate confusion between countries that could result in barriers to trade.

At the domestic level, IADSA highlights what it calls technical trade barriers. These include overly bureaucratic and expensive approval systems, restrictive import licensing requirements, as well as restrictions on sales, distribution, dosage, ingredients and claims.

The very manner in which dietary supplements are defined can be a potential barrier to trade.

"…Although the majority of countries in the world classify food supplements under food law, some countries regulate them under medicine law," Pineda told NutraIngredients-USA. "Since on the latter food supplements are classified and defined as medicines, they have problems accessing other markets because of their classification."

Codex Alimentarius, set up by the Food and Agricultural Organisation and the World Health Organisation in 1961, establishes guidelines to level the playing field of food trade. While the standards are not binding, they tend to influence less liberal markets and those without a regulatory framework in place, which has been particularly common in supplements.

IADSA is currently attending the 39th session of the Codex Committee on Food Additives, being held in Beijing, in order to protect an additional 22 additives found in food supplements that are also scheduled for a Codex decision.

The organization just wrapped up a workshop it held in Yokohama, Japan, where legislators from Asia, Europe and North America discussed international models of regulation. Japan is the world's second largest single market for dietary supplements, and IADSA deems it to be a springboard for other Asian markets.

"In addition to regulation discussions with Japan, 2007 is a key year in the process of regional harmonisation in South East Asia and Codex Alimentarius initiatives on additives, health claims and the safety of supplement ingredients," said Pineda.