Because dietary supplements are regulated by FDA as a subcategory of food, manufacturers are generally not required to demonstrate their safety or efficacy for pre-market approval. The American College of Physicians argues this allows adulterated and mislabeled products to enter the market.
In-house quality control teams and third-party laboratories can use the GENE-UP PROBIOTIC SPECIES ID assay to identify 18 commonly used probiotic species in 90 minutes or less.
The platform was developed to address limitations of earlier DNA barcoding methods by using species-targeted genomic approaches, authenticated reference materials, and analytical systems designed specifically for commercial botanical products.
The agency has also reopened a previously closed Salmonella outbreak investigation linked to powdered moringa supplements, with 22 new reported illnesses in four additional states.
Health Canada has announced the transition of sports electrolyte products from the Natural Health Product (NHP) regulatory framework to the food regulatory framework.
In a meeting with industry, the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (WVS) confirmed its intent to ban the botanical ashwagandha, a widely used dietary supplement and functional food/beverage ingredient.
SuppCo’s mobile application evaluates dietary supplements using its TrustScore methodology. Eurofins Supplement Testing and the Eurofins Assurance provide testing services and certification programs for dietary supplements and ingredients.
Although FDA was unable to find a cause of contamination, a single supplier of the contaminated moringa powder was identified. Affected products, which were sold under the Rosabella brand and distributed by Ambrosia Brands LLC, have been recalled.
The products have been recalled, but have a long shelf life. FDA previously reported working with the manufacturers to determine the root cause of contamination, but has not shared an update at the time of the investigation’s close.
Recent contamination incidents involving moringa products draw attention to supply chain vulnerabilities that affect many botanical ingredients used in the global natural health industry. These events offer an opportunity to examine where problems can emerge and how companies can better protect consumer safety.
