Regulation

FDA slams Delta-8 THC sellers over claims

04-May-2022 By Hank Schultz

FDA came down hard on purveyors of Delta-8 THC and CBD products that were making disease claims on the substances. The Agency also reiterated the reasons it believes Delta-8 is not a suitable ingredient for products marketed as supplements.

Clif Bar makers agree to modify claims of optimal ingredient blend

12-Apr-2022 By Hank Schultz

The makers of Clif Bar have agreed to cease making certain claims on its products after a ruling by the National Advertising Division.

NutraCast: How the Great Resignation is impacting quality in the dietary supplement space

01-Apr-2022 By Danielle Masterson

The pandemic has changed the mindset of many, with people beginning to value their time more than ever. As a result, people are leaving their jobs in search of more money, more flexibility and more happiness. With millions of workers saying 'I quit'...

UK makes pivotal move to fortify flour with folic acid

21-Sep-2021 By Nikki Hancocks

Folic acid will be added to non-wholemeal wheat flour across the UK in an aim to avoid hundreds of potentially life-threatening spinal conditions in babies every year, the Government announced yesterday (September 20).

Beetroot supplement investigation calls for tighter quality regulation

08-Sep-2021 By Nikki Hancocks

An investigation into beetroot supplements on the Polish market has found "inappropriate quality" which may pose a risk to consumers' health and that could be controlled with tighter regulations.

EFSA gives green light to more potent vitamin D

13-Jul-2021 By Nikki Hancocks

Royal DSM has received a positive EFSA opinion for its Novel Food application for the new, fast-acting vitamin D ingredient 'ampli-D'.

EFSA expands opportunities for vitamin D fortification

07-Jul-2021 By Nikki Hancocks

Lallemand has successfully expanded the permitted categories of use for its vitamin D yeast in the EU after gaining favourable opinion from the EFSA for the use in 32 additional food categories.

Industry called to action: MP needs YOU to help change legislation

24-Jun-2021 By Nikki Hancocks

The health food and supplements sector is being called on by the UK Government to help build a new regulatory framework which encourages research, innovation and investment in the sector.

UK Gov considers bold new nutraceutical laws

22-Jun-2021 By Nikki Hancocks

The UK's Government has published a report of proposals which aim to attract significant investment and boost innovation in the nutraceutical sector post-Brexit.

As a result of GRAS process FDA has no idea of what's on market, say paper's authors

08-Apr-2021 By Hank Schultz

A recent paper claims FDA is in the dark as to how many new ingredients have come onto the market via the GRAS process. Only limited progress has been made in the decade since a Congressional report first raised the issue and directed the Agency to make...

“This mess is set to roll”: CBD novel foods deadline just the beginning

26-Mar-2021 By Nikki Hancocks

The FSA’s recent change to its CBD Novel Foods deadline will lead to a lot of hasty half-hearted applications from companies unaware of how much more difficult the process is about to become, an expert has warned.

Joining the charge: Netherlands allows 'probiotic' labels

25-Mar-2021 By Nikki Hancocks

The Netherlands Food and Drug Administration has released guidance stating that the term 'probiotic' is allowed on food and supplement labels in the country, as mandatory information that characterises the product.

CBD experts recommend THC limit for finished products

23-Mar-2021 By Nikki Hancocks

CBD industry experts have put together a detailed safety review of THC recommending clear policy recommendations to cut market confusion.

Misguided CBD brands in last minute novel foods panic, ACI warns

01-Mar-2021 By Nikki Hancocks

Many UK CBD brands have been misled on how to prepare for the looming novel foods deadline meaning there is less than one month for some to pull together potentially impossible amounts of data, an industry expert has warned.

Another domino falls: EU countries to unite against probiotic labelling law

25-Feb-2021 By Nikki Hancocks

Denmark's Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries has set out to work with Spain and other EU countries in an aim to change EU regulation to allow use of the word “probiotic” on labels.

Opportunities and confusion: The evolving regulations for probiotics in Europe

10-Feb-2021 By Nikki Hancocks

There's an opportunity for UK companies to lead on innovation in the gut health space following Brexit and there’s hope for a less rigid regulatory landscape across Europe in the future.

Vitality CBD submits Novel Foods dossier: ‘Regulation a positive direction’

01-Feb-2021 By Nikki Hancocks

The UK FSA’s requirement for all CBD products to have Novel Foods validation is a “positive direction for an emerging industry” and will “undoubtedly reduce the number of products and brands on the market” says Vitality CBD as it awaits feedback on its...

Italian group fights COVID-19 health claim abuse

10-Dec-2020 By Shane Starling

Italy’s primary food supplements group is taking action to protect the EU’s biggest and most dynamic market from a surge in misleading coronavirus-linked immunity claims.

FDA moves to keep coronavirus fears from interrupting ingredients trade

25-Jun-2020 By Hank Schultz

The US Food and Drug Administration says it will move actively to prevent the worldwide trade in dietary ingredients, food ingredients and whole foods from being restricted because of misplaced coronavirus infection concerns.

Guest Post: Taxonomic changes are 'timely opportunity' to turn probiotic strains into household names

30-Apr-2020 By Nikki Hancocks

Highly anticipated news of taxonomic changes to the genus Lactobacillus this month would have been unlikely to cross the average consumer's radar but the update is a great and surprisingly timely communication opportunity, explains Kristina Campbell,...

Trade groups ask retailers not to stock products making coronavirus claims

07-Apr-2020 By Hank Schultz

A coalition of dietary supplement industry trade associations have come out in support of FDA actions against fraudulent coronavirus treatment claims and have urged retailers to not stock products with such claims on their labels.

From the editor's desk

Supplement industry can win with emphasis on safety, clapping lid on disease claims

03-Apr-2020 By Hank Schultz

The dietary supplement industry has an opportunity to communicate with a new range of consumers in light of the current crisis. Highlighting the excellent safety of the products and quality initiatives underway can help keep the embarrassment of rampant...

FDA sends warning letter to CBD firm over coronavirus claims

02-Apr-2020 By Hank Schultz

The US Food and Drug Administration has issued another warning letter on COVID-19 claims. This one was issued to a Nevada company marketing CBD products.

New supplement laws proposed to boost innovation and sector growth

20-Feb-2020 By Nikki Hancocks

The European Federation of Associations of Health Product Manufacturers (EHPM) has created a manifesto and regulatory proposal detailing significant legislative changes needed in order for the food supplements sector to reach its full potential to aid...

European board of experts agree on turmeric quality criteria

06-Feb-2020 By Nikki Hancocks

The Advisory Board on the Quality of Botanical Supplements has created a consensus paper to clarify how experts can examine the quality, safety and efficacy of turmeric supplements.

CBD lacks standardisation on quality, concentration and price: ‘We encountered a wild, wild west scenario’

03-Feb-2020 By Katy Askew

The authors of a new study have suggested the CBD sector is mired by inconsistent quality, concentrations, pricing and labelling. “What we encountered was a wild, wild west scenario in terms of manufacturing and marketing,” Noa Gans, head of product at...

Regulations 2020: Five of this year’s need-to-know supplements and functional foods developments revealed

08-Jan-2020 By Tingmin Koe and Guan Yu Lim

APAC’s fragmented, and at times volatile, regulatory landscape can be a major headache for supplements and functional foods firms. As we enter 2020, we look at some of the new rules that will commence from January and the developments that are likely...

EDITOR'S SPOTLIGHT: SCIENCE & REGULATION

Regulatory round-up: Oral supplement ruling, formula health risk and inaccurate vitamin A labelling

04-Dec-2019 By Will Chu

November’s regulatory news round-up kicks off with France’s National Agency for Food Safety, Environment and Labor (ANSES) concluding a hypokalaemia case was likely due to the ‘misuse’ of an oral nutritional supplement.

Contaminated CBD products could lead to anti-doping ban, ESSNA warns

08-Nov-2019 By Shane Starling

Athletes using cannabidiol (CBD) products should be prepared for a very real risk they could fail anti-doping tests due to contamination of banned tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), ESSNA has warned.

From the editor's desk

Is going big the only way to win in the supplement industry?

11-Oct-2019 By Hank Schultz

The inauguration of a huge, shiny, new (well, repurposed) facility leads to the question of what scale in the industry best serves the dietary supplement consumer.

CRN takes issue with how Pew reported adverse event finding in recent supplement survey

02-Oct-2019 By Hank Schultz

A new Pew survey on dietary supplements found that 1 in 8 consumers said they or a family member had experienced an adverse event, a finding which has been criticized as a faulty statistic.

Study finds ‘healthy’ kids snacks could be contributing to growing obesity crisis

09-Apr-2019 By Gill Hyslop

Scottish research has revealed that a raft of seemingly ‘healthy’ snacks aimed at UK children are less healthy than claimed.

Probiotics regulations under review in China as regulator SAMR 'plays catch-up'

03-Apr-2019 By Cheryl Tay

China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) is calling for public feedback regarding regulations for health food products containing probiotics.

CBD frustration: Aussie supplement firms thwarted by rules while pharma advances march on

11-Feb-2019 By Cheryl Tay

Pharmaceutical firms are making strides in the Australia's medical cannabis space, but supplement and nutraceutical firms will have to wait a long time before they can do the same, says an industry expert.

Strict and serious: '100-day operation' to clean up China's health food market

25-Jan-2019 By Tingmin Koe

The Chinese authorities have started a '100-day operation' in a bid to weed out unscrupulous industry practices prevalent in the country's health food market.

Negative impact? Australian complementary healthcare practitioners reveal concerns over TGA reforms

22-Jan-2019 By Cheryl Tay

Almost 60% of complementary healthcare practitioners in Australia think recent reforms by the Therapeutic Good Administration (TGA) have had an adverse impact on the industry, according to the regulator's own stakeholder survey.

Probiota Asia 2018

Replace probiotics regulatory complexity with consistency and clarity: IPA

26-Oct-2018 By Tingmin Koe

The International Probiotics Association (IPA) has urged the industry to support its efforts to bring consistency to the global regulatory landscape, so that the rules can keep pace with technology and scientific advancement.

Vitafoods Asia 2018

The future of formula: Education, not promotion, the key to success with consumers and regulators — DuPont

26-Sep-2018 By Cheryl Tay

A forward-thinking approach to infant formula is required to properly benefit both industry and consumers in Asia-Pacific's diverse markets, and must be supported by extensive research and strong co-operation with regulators.

‘6 of your 5 a day’ sports drink ruled misleading by ASA

04-Jul-2018 By Will Chu

Nutritional and fitness product retailer, Racing Greens have fallen foul of the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) over claims its blended drink provided “6 of your 5 a day”.

Indian supplement industry 'surprised' by regulator's restrictive ingredients notice: IDMA expert

04-Jul-2018 By Cheryl Tay

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a notification detailing its updated directions for a list of ingredients it deems unsuitable for further use in health foods and supplements.

New Novel Food Rules Now In Force

Nutrition industry 'positive' on prospects for new novel foods regulation

02-Jan-2018 By Nathan Gray

Many people working in the nutrition industry feel positive about the EU’s new novel foods process, which came in to force on January 1st 2018, finds research by the organisers of Vitafoods Europe.

Sports, regs and cross-border success: The three top trends among trade body members in China

05-Oct-2017 By Gary Scattergood

The rise of sports nutrition, complex regulatory and sourcing issues, and the ongoing surge in cross border e-commerce is driving trade association membership in China, as more international firms begin to tap into opportunities in the country.

'Confusion' best describes global regulation of aloe, expert says

10-Oct-2016 By Hank Schultz

After years on the market, aloe as an ingredient is still poorly understood by most regulators around the world, attendees at a recent ingredient-specific session were told.

Australian nutrition industry cheers landmark changes to regulation

15-Sep-2016 By RJ Whitehead

Australia’s natural nutrition and complementary health industry has received a “once in a lifetime” boost after the government gave the green light to a raft of changes to how businesses will be regulated.

DISPATCHES FROM VITAFOODS Europe 2016

Nutraveris showcases its online reference platform at Vitafoods

23-May-2016 By Will Chu

French consultancy Nutraveris was at Vitafoods to make available the latest version of its nutrient-health claim database that will better enable clients to source claims and nutrition research materials.

Australia

Abbott government eyes complementary healthcare for deregulation

20-Oct-2014 By RJ Whitehead

Tony Abbott’s crusade to cut Australian bureaucratic red tape will now target the complementary medicines industry by considering a greater acceptance of international standards.

Australia

Deregulating complementary medicines would save A$70m a year

26-Sep-2014 By RJ Whitehead

Australia’s complementary healthcare industry lobby has called on Canberra to embrace deregulation of non-pharmaceutical medicines as a means to reduce costs while safeguarding consumer health.

China

Approval system stopping supplements from reaching Chinese consumers

18-Sep-2014 By RJ Whitehead

Chinese food authorities are stopping many of their citizens from gaining access to the best quality health supplements as a result of their onerous approvals process, according to one British company.

Chinese food regulatory agency reorganized, renamed

09-Apr-2013

The Chinese State Food and Drug Adminstration (SFDA) has been reorganized and renamed, according to Jeff Crowther, executive director of the US-China Health Care Products Association. The new name is the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA), which...

German concerns rise over food supplement regulation rethink

26-Oct-2012 By Shane Starling

A revision of German food supplement laws will strip products from shelves and “could be a disaster” for consumers and practitioners, according a pan-European lobby group.