Food Supplements: moving from the ‘Wild West’ towards quality and compliance
Conclusions
The supplements market is rapidly expanding [6], resulting in a greater variety of biologically active ingredients, degradation products, and potential contaminants that require measurement and safety assessments [38]. Recent investigations have also emphasised the failure of regulatory frameworks to uphold satisfactory standards for supplements within the major markets of the US and the EU [7-12]. Therefore, renewed investment in method development and validation will be crucial to ensuring the reliable quantification of compounds that enables adequate monitoring of safety and quality [33]. The safety of botanical supplements has become a notable area of concern, due to potential interactions with medications and the risk of side effects [13, 25]. While numerous supplements incorporate potent active ingredients, manufacturers in the US and EU markets are often not bound by the same stringent standards of quality, safety, and efficacy as pharmaceutical products. Consequently, the variability of these parameters persists as a significant issue [33]. The challenges in supplement science and regulation present opportunities for scientists and regulatory bodies to collaborate at national and international levels to share insights and, when appropriate, harmonise approaches to improve public health [39]. Meanwhile, to cater to an increasingly educated customer base, more supplement manufacturers and distributors are differentiating themselves from lower-quality competitors by submitting their products for testing at ISO/IEC 17025 accredited labs enrolled in PT schemes – in order to demonstrate consistent levels of high performance, compliance, and quality in their supplement products.
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