Herbal Products

Herbalist & Alchemist reaches zero waste milestone

23-Feb-2023 By Asia Sherman

Herbalist & Alchemist, the first herbal products company to become a certified B Corp, has achieved zero waste in its production processes.

AHPA’s McGuffin on 40 years of industry impact and influence

17-Jan-2022 By Stephen Daniells

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the American Herbal Products Association. We sat down with AHPA President, Michael McGuffin, to look back on the association’s impact and influence over 40 years and look ahead to the industry’s future.

ABC: 2020 saw soaring sales but rising supply and adulteration concerns, too

23-Dec-2020 By By Mark Blumenthal, founder and executive director of the American Botanical Council

The year 2020 has been unprecedented in the lives of all people — including those currently involved in the global botanical research communities as well as those involved in global and domestic trade of botanical raw materials, extracts, essential oils,...

AHPA’s McGuffin: ‘When Americans believe their health is at risk, they turn to natural products’

21-May-2020 By Stephen Daniells

Speaking via video, Michael McGuffin, president of the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), discussed a range of issues, from new supplement users sticking with the products, voicing support for recent FDA/FTC actions against egregious drug claims,...

The American Herbal Products Association announces 2020 Awards winners

13-Apr-2020 By Stephen Daniells

Wilson Lau, Appalachian Beginning Forest Farmer Coalition, Verdure Sciences, and Edward Alstat have been named this year’s AHPA Award winners for outstanding contributions to the herbal products industry.

Gaia finds commitment to traceability resonates with consumer base

04-Mar-2020 By Hank Schultz

A commitment to transparency and traceability can have a real ROI when it convinces consumers that a brand aligns with their ideals, said an official with Gaia Herbs.

Guest article

CBD, climate crisis, sustainability: ABC takes a look at 2019 and beyond

20-Dec-2019 By Stefan Gafner and Mark Blumenthal, American Botanical Council

The news about CBD and hemp extracts dominated 2019, says the American Botanical Council. But issues surrounding the ongoing climate crisis, questions of sustainability, and the ongoing questions of adulteration were important topics as well.

Can sage give coffee a run for its money? Sibelius thinks so

20-Nov-2018 By Adi Menayang

British company Sibelius Natural Products is marketing a sage extract that has been studied for its cognitive boosting properties.

Gaia Herbs gets certified B Corporation

09-Nov-2018 By Adi Menayang

Herbal supplement specialist Gaia Herbs joins growing number of supplement companies certified as a B Corporation, describing it as a sign of the company’s contribution “to build a more inclusive and sustainable economy.”

Gaia Herbs expands operations in North Carolina

23-Jul-2018 By Adi Menayang

Category leader Gaia Herbs will invest more than $12 million in infrastructure, equipment, and personnel by 2021 as it expands its operations in North Carolina.

Special Edition: Botanicals

Industry experts observe increased acceptance of herbal products among US consumers

22-Mar-2018 By Adi Menayang

Experts in the botanical industry say that there’s increased general acceptance, and favorable views, of herbal products among US consumers, reflected by continued sales growth for the category.

Herbal product sales rise 7.5% according to ABC

09-Sep-2016 By Hank Schultz

Herbal supplement sales increased by 7.5% according to a new report by the American Botanical Council’s 2015 report. Consumers in the US spent $6.9 billion on herbal products during the year, according to the publication.

AHPA’s McGuffin: We already have a working label database so why we would shift that to a mandatory system under the FDA?

21-Oct-2015 By Stephen Daniells

Proposals to introduce a mandatory pre-market registration of products with the FDA have received a lot of discussion in industry circles, but a voluntary system already exists and is functioning well, says Michael McGuffin, President of the American...

Insights from SupplySide West

McGuffin: DSHEA was about preserving right to direct one's own self care

21-Oct-2014 By Hank Schultz

Michael McGuffin, president of the American Herbal Products Association, has a unique perspective on the 20th anniversary of DSHEA having started in the herbal products industry in 1974, twenty years before the law was passed.  The law, as he sees it,...

Knowledge base of herbal products sector is waning, pioneer fears

06-Jun-2014 By Hank Schultz

As the herbal products industry develops the question arises of whether some of the knowledge that drove the initial spate of creativity in the pre- and post-DSHEA period is being lost as founders retire. At least one industry pioneer fears that is the...

Updated: ABC calls for retraction of paper

Contamination & substitution present in many herbal products, but is DNA barcoding of herbals fit for purpose?

07-Nov-2013 By Stephen DANIELLS

Many North American herbal products may contain contaminants or substitute ingredients that are not listed on their labels, says a new DNA barcoding analysis, but a leading analytical lab has questioned the robustness of the methodology.

Applying ‘Quality by Design’ ideas to herbal products

04-Oct-2012 By Hank Schultz

The development of new of herbal products could be significantly improved by applying a “Quality by Design” (QbD) approach to the characterization of source materials, the authors of a recently published paper assert.

New cleanliness guidelines for herbal products

30-Nov-2009 By Mike Stones

Promoting the responsible trade in herbal products and improving the service to consumers are the twin goals behind new guidance policies on microorganisms and mycotoxins and heavy metals from the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA).

Belgium adds detail to herbal drug plans

15-May-2008 By Shane Starling

The Belgian Medicines Agency (AFMPS) has published further detail
of draft amendments to a Royal Decree that may switch the
classification of 250 herbal products from food and food supplement
ingredients to medicines.

Thailand to boost herb production

15-Jul-2002

The Thai government announces a plan to boost the quality and
quantity of herbs produced by the nation.

Herbal products research prompts angry response

14-Mar-2002

Research suggesting that teenagers who use herbal products are more
likely to go on to use drugs such as cigarettes, alcohol and
narcotics has met with an angry response from the herbal products
industry.

Herbal supplement use can lead to drug addiction

12-Mar-2002

Teenagers who use herbal products are more likely to move on to
more harmful drugs such as cigarettes, alcohol and narcotics,
according to a paper presented at the annual meeting of the Society
for Adolescent Medicine in the US.

Supplement and drug use could lead to adverse interactions

18-Jan-2002

One in six American adults uses herbal products or other natural
supplements in addition to prescription drugs, raising concerns
about possible adverse interactions.