FDA’s undertaking to create a master list of ‘old dietary ingredients’ that could be sold legally in dietary supplements without first going through the new dietary ingredient notification process likely will fall flat, despite the agency’s best intentions,...
Israel’s Algatechnologies Ltd. has achieved Non-GMO Project verification for its 100% organic Haematococcus pluvialis microalgae powder and astaxanthin oleoresin.
A recent warning letter to a Colorado dietary supplement company illustrates the hot water companies can get themselves into when starting business operations without adequate counsel.
The accelerating trend toward consolidation in the analytical testing sphere could diminish the highly specific services required to meet the needs of a complex industry like dietary supplements, experts say.
A lack of identity testing is a frequent failure cited in warning letters issued by the Food and Drug Administration. But even when tests are being done, they need to be done in the right way and with properly calibrated equipment.
Major curcuminoids supplier Sabinsa has taken a step it hopes will help protect the entire category by becoming the founding board member of the Global Curcumin Association.
The American Herbal Products Association has developed a set of free assessment tools for use with AHPA's recently released Good Agricultural and Collection Practices and Good Manufacturing Practices for Botanical Materials (GACP-GMP).
The botanicals sector is thriving, in part because it is hooking onto broader trends in the culture. That’s the message that audience members received during a webinar yesterday.
By Charlie Arnot, CEO, The Center for Food Integrity
If you care about GMO labeling, you only have a few more days to respond to USDA's 30 questions* about how to implement the new law. The looming deadline is both a stark reminder of the controversy around GMOs that brought the food industry to this...
The good news in the botanicals sector is that increasing numbers of systematic reviews and meta-analyses show that there is strong support for the health benefits of these ingredients, said Mark Blumenthal, founder of the American Botanical Council.
A recent article on the variability of red yeast rice supplements provides valuable information but comes to a false conclusion, according to an expert on herbal supplements.
The United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA) is launching a new training course, “Preventive Controls Workshop for Dietary Supplements: PCQI Training for Dietary Supplement Companies”, but spaces are limited.
Despite the perception that sports nutrition products tend to include ‘edgy’ ingredients, data suggest that these are among the safest of supplements, already a very safe category, an expert says,
A new government program being facilitated by the American Herbal Products Association will assess the reliability of current DNA techniques for botanical identification.
The Supplement OWL is “an important and necessary first step towards transparency”, said Loren Israelsen, president of the United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA) following his organization’s endorsement of the initiative.
A collaborative group that includes stakeholders from across the industry is moving forward in an effort to define what is meant by ‘quality’ when referring to a dietary supplement.
The American Botanical Council has released another in its series of laboratory guidance documents, this one covering the controversial product grapefruit seed extract.
The SIDI Work Group, the dietary supplement industry’s self-regulatory coalition, has released an updated draft of its “Standardized Information on Dietary Ingredients (SIDI) Protocol”, and is calling for feedback from industry stakeholders and regulators.
Knowing the other team’s game plan can help ensure victory. And this opportunity is open to dietary supplement companies when it comes to GMP compliance, an expert says.
The American Herbal Products Association has urged federal regulators to revamp pesticide rules that unfairly impact minor crops that include many botanical commodities.
With a unique herbarium, a new “DNA Tested” seal, and exclusive access to “breakthrough” handheld genomic technology for botanical ID testing, Indena is “giving a pragmatic solution to the industry”, says the company’s marketing director.
Italian botanical ingredient supplier Indena has agreed a strategic cooperation agreement with UK-based biotech Hyris for developing new methods for the genomic identification of botanical species.
Testing of 47 fish oil supplements purchased at retail in New Zealand shows that 91% met EPA/DHA label claims, according to strict GOED standards, while most also met regulatory limits for oxidation.
As part of a corporate makeover, CVS Pharmacy says it intends to institute new standards for the dietary supplements it sells that will include specific testing requirements.
The Food and Drug Administration is underestimating the amount of time and resources the supplement industry spends annually complying with government regulations, including current good manufacturing practices (cGMPs).
A proactive approach toward product development has helped Columbia Nutritional to grow to be one of the largest contract manufacturers in the Pacific Northwest, a postion further bolstered with its acquisition of Pacific Nutritional Inc.
Dietary supplement manufacturer Nature’s Sunshine is ramping up the science behind the products in an effort to reinvigorate the legacy brand’s financial results. The company’s longevity was highlighted at a 45th anniversary event yesterday in Utah.
Setting high quality standards is one thing. But making that pay? That’s not so easy, said participants at a recent dietary supplement industry meeting.
The American Herbal Products Association has issued a version of its ‘botanical GMPs’ document. Several member companies have stepped forward to field test the recommendations, AHPA president Michael McGuffin said.
A call from the U.S. Commerce Department for suggestions on streamlining manufacturing regulations has generated responses from industry trade organizations, with the different tacks the suggestions take reflecting those organizations’ membership.
The presence and proliferation of phenylethylamines in sports nutrition products continues to be a thorn in the side of the dietary supplement industry. But trying to regulate these ingredients away is not nearly as straightforward as was the case with...
The Global Retailer and Manufacturer Alliance (GRMA) has launched www.GRMAlliance.org to encourage participation in the ANSI standards development process, with its GMP standard for supplements expected soon.
NDIs, GMPs, advances in analytical techniques, safety, and future directions for dietary supplements are just some of the stand out topics to be explored at the upcoming 17th Annual Oxford International Conference on the Science of Botanicals.
Keeping up to date with technological advances, understanding which testing methods are suitable for botanical materials and finished products, and how reference standards fit into the picture are just some of the key issues that brands should be aware...
A new project has been launched to create the ‘world’s first’ catalogue of genomic references for medicinal plants used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
A Colorado-based distributor of dietary supplements has received a permanent injunction as a result of repeated GMP violations that spanned more than four years.
A new validation technique using dried surrogate bacteria that could help companies come into compliance with new FSMA requirements has been developed by French company Novolyze.
By Duffy MacKay, ND, Sr VP, scientific and regulatory affairs, CRN
I don’t speak French, but anyone who took a high school civics class is familiar with the term laissez-faire. Literally meaning “to leave alone,” it’s not always the best course of action—especially for our industry.
Canadian testing firm Nutrasource Diagnostics Inc. has potentially cracked open a huge sector of the market with GMO testing certification for supplements that has been approved by Whole Foods Market for use in its stores.
Shimadzu Scientific Inc. and Midi Inc. have announced a partnership whose aim is to make analytical tests more cost effective, enabling greater compliance.
The University of Guelph in Canada is launching the NHP Research Alliance to provide global leadership to advance the use of DNA testing and molecular diagnostics in quality assurance QA of natural health products.
Concerns about quality standards in the dietary supplements industry are not due to analytical testing, but due to poor supply chain management, says Frank Jaksch, CEO and co-founder of ChromaDex.
If there were one thing an analytical lab contractor could tell a client it might be similar to what a psychologist would tell a new patient: Don’t be shy. Tell me everything.
Citing an uptick in multi-state foodborne illness outbreaks and their high cost to consumers and manufacturers alike, the Government Accountability Office reiterates its 40-year argument for a single, unified food safety system – this time under the Executive...
The early 2000s were a time of health claims success and growing consumer awareness around the benefits of omega-3s, but concerns over quality in the sector spurred stakeholders to work together to create quality standards for the industry. The result...
The melatonin content of dietary supplements may vary widely from values listed on the label, according to a new analysis from Canada that could help improve quality standards for the products.
A realistic testing regime and reasonable range on specified ingredient potencies were among the quality control issues cited by the Food and Drug Administration in recent warning letters.
