A new study conducted by Pharmactive Biotech, which is published in Foods, has confirmed that its Abg10+ aged black garlic extract is pure and high in bioactive ingredients.
The company ran testing on its aged black garlic nutraceutical as there has been a significant uptick in concerns over fraudulent and mislabelled supplements in the industry.
SLU Abg10+ is a science-backed functional ingredient that is specifically designed to promote cardiovascular health.
To find out more about how false supplement labelling is impacting the industry, as well as how aged black garlic can support the cardiovascular system, NBR spoke with Ignacio Jiménez Amezcua, PhD, an Researcher for Pharmactive.
Abg10+ proves high in bioactives
To determine the purity and bioactive status of the nutraceutical, Ignacio measured the concentration of key bioactive compounds that Pharmactive states are present in its aged black garlic extract.
The range of bioactive compounds, which are branded as Agedgarlides®, include S-allyl-L-cysteine (SAC), S-1-propenyl-L-cysteine (S1PC) and S-allylmercaptocysteine (SAMC).
Using mass spectroscopy, Ignacio generated ‘fingerprints’ of Abg10+, and compared them with 24 other commercially available aged garlic supplements. During the testing process, it was determined that around 50% of the supplements didn’t contain the amount of SAC listed on the product label.
It was also found that many products had synthetic sources of SAC, which was not disclosed on the label.
However, Abg10+ was found to contain the amounts of SAC and S1PC stated on the label, at 0.1% and 0.03%, respectively.
The trouble with mislabelling
In recent months, there has been significant labelling issues raised in a range of supplement categories, including SAM-e, prenatal supplements, vitamin K and more.
“Fraudulent and incorrect labelling is a major concern for the nutraceutical industry.” Ignacio emphasises. “It weakens consumer trust, damages brand reputation and could pose as a risk to public health.”
Without fixing this problem, nutraceutical brands risk “limiting industry growth”, while also “reducing consumer interest and discouraging innovation”. States Ignacio. “To build consumer trust and ensure its long-term success, the sector must prioritise transparency and implement rigorous quality standards that protect both consumer health and industry credibility.”
He also notes the growing prevalence of supplements containing undisclosed ingredients: Supplement adulteration is a more prevalent issue than many might assume. It’s quite common to find extracts or products that proclaim a specific bioactive, but actually contain undeclared ingredients.”
“By incorporating undeclared synthetic ingredients, companies are not only lying to consumers, but they’re also potentially putting their health at risk.”
How aged black garlic supports heart health
Aged black garlic extract is created using a traditional ageing method with garlic bulbs, which have enhanced organoleptic properties compared to standard garlic.
Through the ageing process, the prevalence of antioxidant, polyphenol, amino acid and organosulfur compounds increases.
A nutrient that particularly increases in concentration during the ageing procedure is SAC.
“SAC can support heart health by stimulating the production of nitric oxide — which promotes vasodilation,” notes Ignacio. “It can also inhibit the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), which reduces vasoconstriction. Through these mechanisms, a aged black garlic extract can improve blood flow and lower blood pressure.”
Notably, clinical studies have also pointed out the potential of Abg10+ in reducing LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels, highlighting the ingredient’s potential in supporting cardiometabolic health.
“In a market where transparency and quality are essential, we have implemented the same standardisation processes across our entire premium range,” adds Díez Municio, Head of R&D and Quality Control at Pharmactive.
“Through these measures, the company not only ensures the authenticity of its ingredients but also of their origin and quality. This has established each of our products as a trusted benchmark in the natural dietary supplements sector.”