A notice detailing the new process for issuing warning letters to food companies that violate safety regulations has been published in the Federal Register, with the program due to begin on September 15.
It looks like the FDA has finally got some muscle. Never mind new legislation – if anything can prevent America acquiring a weedy reputation for food safety, it’s the might of Dr Margaret Hamburg.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should expand its definition of economically motivated adulteration (EMA), says the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA).
At the APEC meeting in Singapore, Robert Brackett of the GMA has applauded the founding of a food safety training network, just days after the organization praised the House for passing a landmark food safety bill.
The US House of Representatives passed a food safety bill on Thursday that promises far-reaching reform of how food is processed and grown, intended to boost food safety and consumer confidence.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a public health advisory warning against the use of body building products marketed as supplements but found to contain steroids.
The head of the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has called for tighter regulation of sports supplements amid an investigation into steroid products allegedly being distributed to high school children.
New FDA guidance to dietary supplements marketers on the reporting of adverse events has been welcomed by industry as being a “helpful” and “useful” resource.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has clamped down on a number of dietary supplement firms that have repeatedly failed to meet new Good Manufacturing Practices.
The United States Pharmacopeia (USP) has released its long awaited Dietary Supplements Compendium (DSC), which is designed to help manufacturers comply with current Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs).
Ingredient firm AM Todd Botanicals has applied a voluntary industry standardization tool to some of its key botanical extracts, in an effort to help supplement manufacturers with GMP compliance.
Multivitamins and minerals were the subject of one quarter of Adverse Event Reports (AERs) filed with FDA in the first six months of last year, but this does not mean that this product category is problematic, says the American Herbal Products Association...
The recent Hydroxycut recall has caused a stir and the knives are out once again for the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA). But food lawyers Ivan Wasserman and Svetlana Walker argue those that would carve the regulation up are turning...
The failure to diligently enforce the 1994 Dietary Supplements and Health Education Act (DSHEA) is the cause of most of the problems that have drawn a barrage of heavy criticism in the mainstream media, according to the Council for Responsible Nutrition...
The US dietary supplement industry is facing a massive media onslaught after recent recalls of harmful products have placed the sector and the law that regulates it under the spotlight.
Adulteration of food proteins - as seen in the recent melamine scandal - is becoming a greater threat to industry as the food supply has become more globalized and economic crisis drives manufacturers to seek cheaper ingredients, says Jim Griffiths of...
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday again shook its iron fist at the dietary supplement industry, ordering the destruction of thousands of bottles of sports supplements that contained unapproved food additives.
The recent recall of top-selling Hydroxycut weight loss products has prompted the – not unexpected – call for a review of regulations governing dietary supplements in the United States.
An editorial published in a reputable journal states that dietary supplements are “nostrums” that are unregulated by FDA and make vague health claims to avoid the need for validation.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken another blow as a US news organization published figures on Thursday showing it is failing to meet its goals for auditing individual states’ food safety inspections.
Immunity is likely to be the next major focus for the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) as it closes its fist over fraudulent dietary supplement products, suggests a food and drug lawyer.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has initiated a massive recall of a top-selling American weight loss supplement brand, after a series of adverse event reports indicated that the products could be linked to serious liver damage.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) are warning consumers to stay away from supplements that claim to treat or prevent swine flu, and say they will take aggressive action against companies attempting to benefit...
Although all medium-sized dietary supplement manufacturers in the US will be required to meet new GMP regulations as of June this year, FDA has said it is unlikely to start inspections until fall. The agency’s manager of the Division of Dietary Supplements...
A recent ConsumerLab report that found “problems” with over 30 percent of vitamins, has already generated negative reports in mainstream media, renewing calls for vitamins to be avoided where possible.
The Natural Products Association (NPA) has added a Chinese chondroitin manufacturer to its list of suppliers that undergo the group’s ingredient purity and quality testing in China.
Two brands of infant formula – which make up almost 90 percent of the US market – were found to have the highest levels of contamination with the chemical perchlorate by a recent government study, but the industry has dismissed the findings on the basis...
The second article in a series examining the impact of a new Congress on the functional food and supplements industries takes a close look at the new FDA Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner. According to industry veteran Loren Israelsen, we should expect...
All ginseng entering the US market is now required to be labeled with its country of origin after a US Department of Agriculture final rule kicked in today.
The staggered implementation of America’s controversial GMP rules is underway and due for completion in June, 2010. For the Council for Responsible Nutrition’s VP of regulatory and scientific affairs, Andrew Shao, PhD, the bill may be progressing but...
At Expo West recently, Shane Starling sat down with industry stalwart, Loren Israelsen, to discuss the Obama effect, Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois, the “flyspeck” that is the Dietary Supplements and Health Education Act (DSHEA), GMPs, oh, and the...
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been criticized for not enforcing Good Manufacturing Practises, but according to the FDA’s Brad Williams, boosted funding means FDA inspectors may be about to “saturate the field”. He spoke with Shane Starling...
Consumer activists claim a GAO report on the oversight of dietary supplements confirms that regulatory loopholes plague the industry, while trade bodies say the report makes unrealistic recommendations to improve regulation of the products.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has made significant progress in regulating dietary supplements, but the agency is still lacking basic information to keep the products – and consumes – safe, according to the US Government Accountability Office...
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned the US public against a weight loss dietary supplement called Venom Hyperdrive 3.0 because it contains the banned pharmaceutical ingredient, sibutramine.
A new reference material for assessing the amounts of vitamins, carotenoids, and trace elements in dietary supplements has been developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) has published a heavy metals white paper it says will assist industry to comply with current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP).
The focus of FDA’s GMP inspections of dietary supplement manufacturing facilities will likely take a short-term focus on the Utah area and Southern California, according to inside sources.
Botanical ingredients supplier BI Nutraceuticals has sent its customers a clarification of current US regulations that prohibit the use of irradiation and ethylene oxide (EtO) as a means to sterilize supplement ingredients.
The use of nanotechnology in dietary supplements is badly understood and largely unregulated, and could be putting consumers at serious risk, claims a new report.
Robinson Pharma Inc (RPI), a dietary supplement contract manufacturer, has said its latest quality audit has confirmed continued cGMP compliant operations.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has intensified its clamp-down on adulterated weight loss supplement products, which have been found to contain undeclared pharmaceutical ingredients.
The general public should not be misled to believe that supplement products are dangerous or illegal by athletes’ uninformed usage of the products, and by irresponsible media coverage, according to a US supplements group.
Zinc supplements are the latest target by testing body ConsumerLab, which found that many of these did not contain significant dosages to help with the common cold.
FDA has issued another draft guidance document on the labeling of dietary supplements to facilitate adverse event reporting, despite earlier calls from industry that the guidance should be withdrawn.
Dietary supplements have again been blamed for athletes not passing anti-doping tests, after six National Football League players were suspended this week.
The domestic supply of infant formula in the United States is safe for consumption, the FDA has said following an investigation into contamination with the industrial chemical melamine.
Ingredient supplier BI Nutraceuticals has expanded its steam sterilization capacity, which the firm says will allow it to sterilize more than 15,000 metric tons of herbal botanical, spice and food ingredients annually.
The US Food and Drug Administration may be publishing a compliance guide that would provide crucial help to small dietary supplement manufacturers trying to implement current good manufacturing practices (cGMP) legislation.
Many medium and small dietary supplement companies are still not close to meeting new GMP requirements, despite the looming deadlines. Lorraine Heller speaks to industry members about the major challenges that remain, and the next steps that should be...