Lab Testing: DNA is Here to Stay

From the moment in March 2015 when GNC signed an agreement with the New York Attorney Generals Office to incorporate DNA testing into its dietary supplement quality control program, DNA analysis of supplements and raw materials became an intense topic of conversation throughout the supplement industry. Not all companies rushed to add DNA to their testing lab runs, but some labs began to look at how to offer DNA testing to supplement companies, and some manufacturers started to explore partnerships and in-house potential for DNA testing. However, several technical and educational challenges continue to stand in the way of widespread adoption of DNA testing by labs, manufacturers and suppliers. Takeaways include: *DNA barcoding focuses on one specific gene, which is not effective for DNA analysis of plants. *Availability of barcodes and libraries is a limitation of DNA barcode testing of herbal products. *Despite challenges, DNA testing is becoming a part of testing processes in some parts of industry.