Chromadex-Bruker team up allows in-house raw material testing

03-Mar-2011 - Last updated on 08-Mar-2011 at 17:17 GMT

A new supplement testing technology would allow manufacturers to obtain in-house capabilities to perform raw material identity testing and determine if any adulteration has taken place.

Co-developed by ChromaDex Corporation and Bruker Optics Inc., the test will initially focus on the near infrared spectrometer (NIR) technology created by Bruker Optics, and uses the phytochemical and botanical reference standard capabilities of ChromaDex.

Dietary supplement manufacturers will be able to obtain the in-house capabilities of a contract laboratory without the associated start-up costs, said the companies, and can be accomplished by existing staff utilizing a Bruker NIR unit located in the manufacturer's facility.

Frank Jaksch, CEO and co-founder of ChromaDex Inc. told NutraIngredients-USA.com: "The ChromaDex-Bruker program offers the unique combination of the ChromaDex reference standards, and analytical testing services experience with a world class analytical equipment and software solutions company like Bruker.

"The seamless solution we are offering with Bruker will be a cost-effective "in-house" program for companies to run in their own QC labs," he added.

Jaksch added: "There are no expensive capital equipment costs and no costs for the reference standards or reference materials."

The issue

Deliberate adulteration of products continues to be an issue for the dietary supplements industry and can be either economically motivated adulteration (EMA) or to intensify a specific pharmacological effect. The GMP regulations are widely accepted as a big step in the right direction: The 2007 GMP regulations place the onus on product manufacturers to ensure the quality of their raw materials is sufficient.

Adulteration does still occur, however, and notable examples include adulteration with erectile dysfunction drugs, weight-loss drugs, melamine, and steroid compounds.

"Detecting adulterants is a tricky situation...the target is always moving," said Jaksch, "but in principle the program we are developing should be able to detect both known and unknown adulterants."

Jaksch explained that Chromadex chose to collaborate with Bruker on this "because we believe the testing platform they have developed, when coupled with our products and knowledge, will prove to be the solution the market has long been seeking”.

“This collaboration has the potential to significantly advance dietary supplement testing at the manufacturer's location,” said John Richmond, vice president of Bruker Optics Inc.

Both companies said they anticipate extending the relationship to include other Bruker analytical technologies.