International Dietary Supplement Trade Alliance Endorses Botanical Adulterants Educational Program

AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 8, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The International Alliance of Dietary/Food Supplement Associations (IADSA) has endorsed the ABC-AHP-NCNPR Botanical Adulterants Program, an international consortium of nonprofit organizations, analytical laboratories, industry members, professional scientists, and others that advises industry, health professionals, and researchers about the various challenges related to adulterated herb and botanical ingredients sold in commerce.

IADSA, an international organization of trade associations composed of suppliers and manufacturers of dietary supplements, gave notice of its support in a letter dated August 3rd from IADSA Executive Director Simon Pettman to Mark Blumenthal, founder and executive director of the nonprofit American Botanical Council (ABC) and general manager of the ABC-AHP-NCNPR Botanical Adulterants Program. In the letter, Pettman said of the decision, "…IADSA is constantly seeking ways in which to improve standards within the global industry and demonstrate that dietary supplements are a category of products that deserve the trust of decision-makers in government. We consider that your program will help us move forward on both these objectives and in time will provide real consumer benefits."

According to its website, IADSA has 48 member associations, representing thousands of companies worldwide.

Adulteration refers to the accidental or intentional substitution or dilution of a material with an undisclosed lower-cost ingredient, thereby giving the consumer or user a false sense of the value of an ingredient or product containing such an adulterated ingredient.

The ABC-AHP-NCNPR Botanical Adulterants Program is a coalition of three American nonprofit groups: ABC, the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia (AHP), and the University of Mississippi's National Center for Natural Products Research (NCNPR), with more than 130 other American and international parties supporting and cooperating with the Program.

"The endorsement of our Program by IADSA signifies not only the global nature of the problem of adulteration in the botanical supply chain, but also represents the concerns of many responsible, forward-thinking members of the herb and dietary supplement industry in 33 countries regarding this significant problem, and their confidence in and cooperation with the educational work we are doing," said ABC's Blumenthal. "IADSA's involvement constitutes a quantum leap in the Program's level of activity," he added.

"IADSA supports this excellent program to bring safe and authenticated botanicals to consumers globally," said Peter Zambetti, chairman emeritus of IADSA and director of global business development at Capsugel, the world's largest manufacturer of gelatin capsules used in the manufacture of dietary supplements and pharmaceuticals.

"IADSA's endorsement of this Program is a significant development for us, and helps to ensure that we have the prospect of success on an international basis, connecting organizations pursuing similar aims," said Stefan Gafner, PhD, ABC's chief science officer and technical director of the Botanical Adulterants Program. "We look forward to working with more botanical quality control experts from other organizations and scientists in the international arena," he added.

According to Michelle Stout, treasurer of IADSA and regulatory policy director at Amway, one of the world's largest producers of dietary supplements, "Authenticity of a botanical impacts its quality which directly impacts its efficacy and safety. The ABC-AHP-NCNPR Botanical Adulterants Program is an important initiative for building standards to ensure that the botanicals used in supplements are authentic and free from any deliberate or accidental adulteration."

IADSA's endorsement of the ABC-AHP-NCNPR Botanical Adulterants Program follows similar endorsements made last year by the international Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Research (known by its German acronym, GA) and the American Society of Pharmacognosy (ASP). The GA and ASP are the two largest organizations of professional researchers in the field of medicinal plants and drugs of natural origin.

To date, the ABC-AHP-NCNPR Botanical Adulterants Program has published five extensively peer-reviewed and referenced articles on the history of adulteration, the adulteration of the herbs black cohosh and skullcap, and adulteration of extracts of bilberry fruit and grapefruit seed. These open-access articles are available on the Program's webpage: www.herbalgram.org/adulterants. The Program also publishes a quarterly newsletter, "The Botanical Adulterants Monitor" that highlights new scientific publications related to botanical authenticity and analysis to detect possible adulteration, recent regulatory actions, and Program news. Additional publications from the Program are being scheduled for release in the coming weeks and months.

About the International Alliance of Dietary/Food Supplement Associations (IADSA)

According to the IADSA website, "IADSA is the leading international expert association regarding the globalisation of food supplement markets and increasing regulatory challenges. Bringing together food supplement associations from 6 continents, IADSA aims to build an international platform for debate and a sound legislative and political environment for the development of the food supplement sector worldwide." http://www.iadsa.org/

About the ABC-AHP-NCNPR Botanical Adulterants Program


The ABC-AHP-NCNPR Botanical Adulterants Program is a consortium of independent nonprofit organizations whose mission relates to education, scientific research, and quality of botanical dietary ingredients and related plant-derived materials. The consortium is headed by three nonprofit groups dealing with education and research on medical herbs and other beneficial plants: the American Botanical Council, the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia, and the National Center for Natural Products Research at the University of Mississippi. The program is underwritten or endorsed by more than 130 natural products industry companies, independent analytical laboratories, contract research organizations, nonprofit and professional organizations, trade associations, accredited institutions of education in natural medicine, law firms, and media companies — which are involved in the production, supply, manufacture, distribution, marketing, analysis, research, and/or education of herbal dietary ingredients and supplements, in the United States and internationally. All publications of the Program are available free-access on its homepage including the "Botanical Adulterants Monitor," an e-newsletter that conveys Program news, regulatory updates, and recent scientific publications related to adulteration, contamination, identity, and authenticity of botanical raw materials, extracts, and essential oils. Companies, organizations, foundations, and/or individuals interested in supporting this program are invited to contact Ms. Denise Meikel, ABC Development Director, at (512) 926-4900, ext. 120, or by email.

Underwriters and Supporters of the ABC-AHP-NCNPR Botanical Adulterants Program (as of Sept. 5, 2014)*

Financial Underwriters
21st Century Healthcare
AdvoCare International L.P.
Agilent Technologies, Inc.
Amen Clinics
Amway/Nutrilite Health Institute
Artemis International, Inc.
Aveda Corporation
BI Nutraceuticals
Bioceuticals
Bionorica SE
Blackmores
Capsugel
Cepham, Inc.
Chemi Nutra
CNCA Health
Crila Health
dicentra, Inc.
Doctor's Best
Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps
DSM Nutritional Products, Inc.
Emerson Ecologics
Enzymatic Therapy, Inc.
Ethical Naturals, Inc.
Eu Yan Sang International
EuroMed
EuroMedica
EuroPharma
Flavex Naturextrakte GmbH
FoodState/MegaFood
Fruit d'Or
Gaia Herbs
Gencor Nutrients, Inc.
GNC, Inc.
Helios Corp.
Herb Pharm
Herbalife International, Inc.
Horphag Research
Indena USA, Inc.
Ingredient Identity
Linnea
Markan Global Enterprises, Inc.
Martin Bauer, Inc.
MediHerb / Integria Healthcare
Metagenics, Inc.
Natural Factors Nutritional Products, Inc./Bioclinic Naturals
Nature's Sunshine Products
Nature's Way
Naturex, Inc.
NBTY, Inc.
New Chapter, Inc.
The New Frontier Foundation Fund of the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation
Ningbo Greenhealth Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
Novel Ingredients
NOW Foods
Nu Skin Enterprises/Pharmanex
Nutritional Laboratories International
Ortho Molecular Products
Pacific Nutritional Inc.
Paragon Laboratories
Pathway International Pty Limited
Perrigo Company
Pharmatoka SAS
Pharmavite, LLC
Pure Encapsulations
Rainbow Light Nutritional Systems
RFI Ingredients, LLC
Sabinsa Corporation
Schwabe North America
Shaklee Corp
Standard Process, Inc.
Thorne Research, Inc.
Traditional Medicinals, Inc.
Triarco Industries, Inc.
Valensa International
V.D.F. FutureCeuticals
Verdure Sciences
Vitamin Shoppe
Weil Lifestyle, LLC
ZMC-USA

Trade Associations
Australian Self Medication Industry
Australian Tea Tree Industry Association (Australia)
Complementary Healthcare Council of Australia (Australia)
Consumer Healthcare Products Association (US)
Council for Responsible Nutrition (US)
International Alliance of Dietary/Food Supplement Associations (IADSA)
Natural Products Association (US)
United Natural Products Alliance (US)

Nonprofit/Professional Associations
American Association of Naturopathic Physicians
American Society of Pharmacognosy
Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
Personalized Lifestyle Medicine Institute
Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Research - GA

Colleges/Universities
Bastyr University
Boucher Institute for Naturopathic Medicine
National College of Natural Medicine
Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine
University of Bridgeport College of Naturopathic Medicine

Third-Party Analytical Laboratories
Alkemist Labs
AuthenTechnologies LLC
Bent Creek Institute
British Columbia Institute of Technology
ChromaDex
Covance Laboratories
Eurofins Scientific Inc.
Flora Research Labs
NSF International
Spectrix Labs
Tampa Bay Analytical

Media
Delicious Living
Engredea
Functional Ingredients
Holistic Primary Care
Integrator Blog
Modern Healthcare Practitioner
Natural Foods Merchandiser
Natural Products INSIDER
NewHope360.com
Nutraceuticals World
NutraingredientsUSA.com
Nutrition Business Journal
Nutrition Industry Executive
Nutritional Outlook
Virgo Publishing
Vitamin Retailer
WholeFoods Magazine

Law Firms & Regulatory Consultants
Amin Talati, LLC
Greenberg Traurig, LLP (James Prochnow)
Law Office of Holly Bayne, P.C.
Robert Forbes & Associates

Contract Research Organizations
KGK Synergize
Medicus Research

Other
Korean Ginseng Research Institute
Shanghai Research Center for TCM Modernization/Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica of the Chinese Academy of Sciences

*By acknowledging the generous support of these companies and organizations, ABC, AHP, and NCNPR are not endorsing any ingredients or products that may be produced or marketed by them.

About the American Botanical Council

Founded in 1988, the American Botanical Council is a leading international nonprofit organization that addresses research and educational issues regarding botanicals, teas, medicinal plants, essential oils, other therapeutic plant-derived materials, and beneficial fungi. ABC's members and stakeholders include researchers, health professionals, consumers, nonprofit organizations, libraries, universities, herb and cosmetic industry members, and others in more than 80 countries. The organization occupies a historic 2.5-acre site in Austin, Texas, where it publishes the peer-reviewed quarterly journal HerbalGram, the monthly e-publication HerbalEGram, the weekly e-newsletter Herbal News & Events, HerbClips (summaries of scientific and clinical publications), reference books, and other educational materials. ABC also hosts HerbMedPro, a powerful herbal database, covering scientific and clinical publications on more than 250 herbs. ABC also co-produces the "Herbal Insights" segment for Healing Quest, a television series on PBS, and manages the ABC-AHP-NCNPR Botanical Adulterants Program, an international consortium of nonprofit professional societies, industry trade organizations, analytical laboratories, industry members, and other parties committed to increasing educational information on the quality and authenticity of botanical raw materials, extracts and essential oils in the global marketplace.

ABC is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code. Information: Contact ABC at P.O. Box 144345, Austin, TX 78714-4345, Phone: 512-926-4900. Website: www.herbalgram.org. Contact: Public Relations.

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SOURCE American Botanical Council