AHPA Updates Guidance Policies

SILVER SPRING, Md.The Board of Trustees of the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) recently adopted new guidance policies on (1) microorganisms and mycotoxins, and (2) heavy metals. All of AHPAs Guidance Policies, including the two updated policies, are available online.

The new guidance policies are based on a careful review of microbial and other limits established by governments and organizations across the world, said Michael McGuffin, AHPA president. AHPAs limits prioritize consumer safety while remaining sensitive to industry needsa strategy that promotes both compliance and safety.

AHPA encouraged herbal ingredient suppliers and herbal supplement manufacturers and marketers to submit information to the association identifying specific supplements and herbal ingredients (including geographical source and any additional pertinent information) that may require a different quantitative limit than those identified in these policies. It also asked industry companies to submit information on the portion of marketed or manufactured ingredients or herbal supplements that exceed any of these limits or require reformulation or reductions in daily serving size in order to meet these limits.