Fruit dOr, CRN, NPA Educate & Advise Industry During National Nutrition Month

During the month of March, deemed National Nutrition Month, industry organizations and companies have made strides to educate both the industry and consumers on natural ingredients for health, and ensure consumers have access to the safe, nutrient-packed ingredients they need.

This month, Fruit d'Or is launching an educational video series about the viability of cranberry for a wide variety of applications beyond urinary tract infections (UTIs). The comprehensive series will contain more than 20 five-minute long videos, each discussing a specific topic directly related to the cranberry supplement market. Experts who will lead video discussions include Christian G. Krueger of Complete Phytochemical Solutions LLC; Anurag Pande, vice president of scientific affairs for Sabinsa Corporation; Stephen Lukawski, director of business development and sales for Fruit d'Or Nutraceuticals; and Shirley Gutkowski, dental hygenist, Founder and CEO of Cross Link. The series is produced and edited by celebrity news anchor and TV host Jennifer Ward of Market Wise Productions, who recently interviewed Lukawski on the benefits of cranberry beyond UTIs.

The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) also advised that consumers seek counsel during National Nutrition Month to assess their diets and consider the best foods and dietary supplements needed for a healthy life. Recent research demonstrating there are nutrient shortfalls within the U.S. adult population is a clear sign that for many Americans, adequate nutrition requires options alongside admonitions to just eat healthy foods—and dietary supplements are a safe and affordable option. A recent study found nearly half of U.S. adults are not getting enough vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, calcium, and magnesium—and that the nutrient inadequacy was worse in those with a higher body mass index. Additionally, the recent 2015 scientific report issued by the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee identified 10 “shortfall" nutrients; that is, nutrients that are under-consumed.

CRN further noted that striking a balance between regulation and consumer access to dietary supplements is key to consumers worldwide getting the benefits that safe, quality dietary supplements can contribute to overall health and wellness, according to a new article published in the European Journal of Nutrition. The journal article reports from the Council for Responsible Nutrition-International’s (CRN-I) 2014 annual international scientific symposium, and it is co-authored by nine of the conference’s speakers. The report summarizes presentations and outcomes from the CRN-I 2014 symposium held in Brisbane, Australia, last October. It discusses U.S. good manufacturing practices (GMPs) their importance, and it also addresses post-market surveillance, including analysis of adverse event reports. CRN-I will hold its 2015 symposium on November 20 in Kronberg, Germany, and registration will be available through CRN-I’s website.

Also supporting the manufacture of safe supplements, the Natural Products Association (NPA) and UL partnered to certify dietary supplement makers are following federal guidelines and regulations—GMPs—that are an essential part of the government’s oversight of the industry. As part of this collaboration, UL’s auditors will be trained in the NPA GMP standard, as they will administer the certification program, the audit function and the final decision on whether the product meets the standard to achieve compliance. Furthermore, NPA and UL have developed a co-branded, dietary supplement-specific badge logo program for use in product labeling, such as marketing materials, websites and social media for dietary supplements. The use of both the NPA and UL marks in its co-branded partnership will only be available for companies certified under the NPA GMP standard with audits conducted by UL. NPA is also allowing the use of the NPA mark on product labels for the first time. NPA’s partnership with UL also will open up new avenues for the industry to have its products tested for meeting label claims and absence of adulterants by a well-recognized and venerable dietary supplement and sports nutrition testing organization.

Be sure to register for dietary supplement GMP training sessions taking place during Ingredient Marketplace, April 7 to 9 in Orlando.