Natural Products Insider

Supplement testing labs can work with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) Analytical Methods and Reference Materials Program (AMRM) to develop and implement quality assurance programs (QAPs) and reference materials. The level of collaboration among supplement testing labs that compete for business, as observed by Catherine Rimmer, natural products program coordinator, NIST, shows the level of commitment this industry has to quality. Supplement testing labs can work with NIST and AMRM to obtain and develop reference standards and QAPs. In this podcast Rimmer and Adam Kuszak, Ph.D., director of AMRM, discuss the landscape of supplement contract labs from their viewpoint as standards experts and outline the opportunities brands have to improve their lab practices.

The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is designed to change the culture of food safety in the U.S. from a reactionary to a preventative mindset. It’s come with challenges, but the law is helping evolve this thinking in the U.S. as more food and supplement brands are meeting FSMA requirements, according to Bill Bremer, principal, food safety compliance, Kestrel Management. In this podcast, Bremer previews his upcoming SupplySide West presentation on the implementation of the FSMA, the foreign supplier verification program (FSVP) and international rules for the food and beverage sectors.

In the past sports nutrition products focused primarily on performance enhancement for professional athletes and body builders. Today's sports performance and recovery products need to be more inclusive, serving broader customer demographics. Bodybuilders, cross-fitters, dancers and weekend warriors alike want products to not only enhance performance, but to maintain lifelong health and vitality. Coby McLellan, Vice President of Marketing and Product Development for Weider Global Nutrition, discusses the modern approach to creating balanced sports nutrition products to meet today's consumer's needs, and the role ashwagandha can play in daily support within performance enhancing supplements.

Diversity and inclusion have become hot topics in business circles, with companies evaluating their internal policies and procedures, even as employees and customers demand more accountability for results. Zoe Feldman, director of the Chobani Incubator (https://chobaniincubator.com/), forged her own path through traditional-thinking venture capital firms to now guide the company’s incubator program. From the top down, Chobani is invested in its people and developing an inclusive workplace; its Spring 2019 incubator class reflects this commitment, offering opportunities to unique ventures seeking to break out of the mold.

In part one of this podcast, veteran lawyer Peter Barton Hutt of Covington & Burling LLP reflects on FDA’s role over the decades in regulating dietary supplements and efforts to impose restrictions that were stymied time and again.

Lifestyle trends like keto, vegan, gluten free and FODMAP diets present challenges to food scientists who must come up with creative ways to make products that fall within the nutritional guidelines while keeping the labels as “clean” as possible.

In this SupplySide West edition of the Healthy INSIDER Podcast, Lisa Mabe, CEO, Green Purse PR, draws on consumer shop-along research to uncover how certifications impact buying decisions.

When it comes to the fight against botanical adulteration in the natural products industry, Mark Blumenthal’s efforts top the list. The American Botanical Council (ABC) founder joins INSIDER’s Karen Butler for a discussion about the evolution of botanical adulteration—and the tools available to industry to help prevent and identify it. Some takeaways include: botanicals of greatest adulteration concern from the early 1970s to 2019, ways industry has kept pace as adulteration schemes have developed, and how organizations involved in the fight determine their priorities.

Increased interest in health and wellness is one of the biggest market drivers for the functional beverage category. Listen to Jim Tonkin, president and founder of Healthy Brand Builders, a beverage consultancy company, and Judie Bizzozero, senior editor, Natural Products INSIDER, discuss opportunities and considerations for launching functional beverages.

Rodney Benjamin, director of research and development and technical support, Bergstrom Nutrition, discusses the impact of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA) from an ingredient supplier’s perspective.

You often can’t truly identify if something is a food trend or fad until you are looking in the rearview mirror. Listen to Lynn Dornblaser, director of innovation and insight at Mintel, and Judie Bizzozero, senior editor, Natural Products INSIDER, discuss whether gluten-free, keto, vegan and even FODMAPs have potential to impact the market long-term.

Yadim Medore, CEO and founder of Pure Branding, divulges findings of a recent study on transparency, including what it means to consumers and brand owners.

Grain-free dog food—particularly products containing high levels of potatoes, pulses, or legumes like lentils and peas—is under fire as FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) investigates a potential connection between canine diet and a heart disease known as dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Holistic veterinarian Chris Bessent shares details such as the affected breeds and pet food companies; hazards of modeling animal nutrition after human food trends; suggestions for dog food manufacturers to mitigate risk and boost transparency; and a possible link between glyphosate (an herbicide used in farming), grain-free foods and cardiac issues.

The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA) created a regulatory need for supplement safety testing, but the GMPs (good manufacturing practices), issued in 2007, set a fire in the industry to partner with supplement testing labs that meet high quality standards. Yet, without FDA audits of third-party labs for GMP compliance, labs may not be feeling the burning desire to fully comply with regulations. Elan Sudberg, CEO of Alkemist Labs, a contract testing laboratory specializing in plant authentication, said FDA should be conducting more audits of supplement testing labs to ensure compliance. A recent warning letter sent to ABC Testing may signal the start of this welcome trend. In this podcast, Sudberg discuses lab audits and other aspects of DSHEA that affect labs operations.

Roy Bingham, CEO and co-founder, BDS Analytics, discusses how the legalization of marijuana in the United States has laid the foundation for CBD and other hemp-derived products.

Everyone experiences stress, it's impossible to avoid, but how can we support the body's ability to correct ware and tare and find balance. Product innovators today can take queues from the ancient healing practices of Ayurveda. We had a conversation with Nick Bitz, N.D. and discussed the Ayurvedic approach to stress and how Ashwagandha in particular has been used traditionally, and can be used today in product formulations to support stress. Dr. Bitz is a licensed, board-certified naturopathic doctor who specializes in Ayurveda. He also holds a dual degree in Human Biology and Cognitive Neuroscience.

Bernadette Marriott, Ph.D., professor emeritus, department of medicine and psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina, reviews a recent study evaluating supplement use among military personnel—and reports unexpected findings.

Michael Smith, M.D., director of education and spokesperson, Life Extension, and Rachel Adams, managing editor, discuss how Life Extension applies artificial intelligence to overcome limitations of human longevity studies.

From issues with ginseng in the early 1970s to modern-day concerns with ingredients such as ginkgo biloba, bilberry and saw palmetto, the natural products industry is no stranger to botanical adulteration. In this podcast, Mark Blumenthal of the American Botanical Council and ABC-AHP-NCNPR Botanical Adulterants Prevention Program; Holly Johnson, Ph.D., of the American Herbal Products Association; and Margaret Dohnalek, Ph.D., of Valensa International discuss advancements in the effort to ensure botanical authentication for safe, effective products.

In this podcast, Sandra Eskin of The Pew Charitable Trusts describes her support for a mandatory product registry for dietary supplements.