NOW Foods has been in the headlines recently, as it has uncovered the continuation of significant quality and potency issues with SAM-e supplements sold on Amazon.com. (read the previous story here)
Notably, of the 23 supplements assessed, 20 failed potency testing according to their label claims.
To find out more about the impact this survey may have on the functional ingredients industry, and how it should move forward, Annabel Kartal-Allen spoke with Dan Richard, NOW Foods' VP of Global Sales and Marketing.
AKA: What does this finding say about the quality of nutraceuticals — particularly SAM-e — on the market?
DR: This finding applies to only one segment of supplements on Amazon.com. However, the results are shocking enough that consumers should be aware of these low to no potency supplements — as well as the brands that make them — so they can steer clear, as they have proven to be too go to be true.
Unfortunately, poor quality vitamin brands tend to do the most marketing on Amazon and Walmart.com, often showing up as the top sellers online.
Dan Richard, NOW Foods' VP of Global Sales and Marketing
The responsible core of the industry produces quality products that provide consumers with accurate labeling and the benefits they pay for. Unfortunately, consumers may not understand that products by brands they have never heard of are different than those by established brands.
AKA: How should the industry move forward from here?
DR: We’ve been testing products bought on Amazon for seven years, and it’s always the same story. Until either Amazon establishes a more effective quality control programme or the FDA decides to enforce accurate labelling laws, this will likely continue.
Responsible brands should continue demonstrating quality and promote transparency with the consumers of their products.
AKA: Do you think that nutraceutical ingredients and dietary supplements will be more stringently regulated in the future?
I don't believe that they will be, as dietary supplements are among the safest product categories on the market, as data has shown consistently when compared to pharmaceuticals and OTC medicines.
Supplements are already highly regulated and do not need more regulation.
Instead, we need policing of bad actors within the industry and stricter enforcement of the existing regulations. It’s quite surprising that our testing reports have not led to legal enforcement by FDA, Amazon, or any other party.