NSF Helps Create GRMA to Develop Uniform Standards

ANN ARBOR, Mich.—NSF International and leaders from major retailers and manufacturers created the Global Retailer and Manufacturer Alliance (GRMA) earlier this year to develop consensus-based standards for dietary supplements, with the first retailer standard anticipated to be available in early 2015.

GRMA will also develop standards for cosmetics/personal care products, over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and medical devices. Combining retailer and regulatory requirements into a single standard and auditing program for each product category will help reduce audits and costs while strengthening safety, quality and trust throughout the supply chain.

The GRMA team, led by quality and safety experts from leading supermarkets, drugstore chains, mass merchandisers and club stores, developed a blueprint to create standardized requirements for each product category. Additionally, utilizing insights from industry experts such as the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), American National Standards Institute (ANSI), Nutrition Business Journal and NSF International led to the creation of formal ANSI standard notifications, the first step in the standards development process. NSF has a 70-year scientific and technical legacy in conformity assessment, compliance, testing and development of consensus-based standards and is recognized as such by the GRMA.

Working with the retailers and manufacturers in the GRMA, as well as regulators and other testing laboratories, NSF will further define a standardized auditing approach focused on consistency, integrity, compliance and quality practices. The standards will utilize relevant regulations as a foundation while also encompassing additional retailer requirements. The applicable regulations will serve as a baseline for each standard, including the relevant parts of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, as well as current good manufacturing practices (cGMPs) in manufacturing, packaging, labeling, holding operations for dietary supplements (title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 111).

Earlier this year, NSF International launched the NSF Cosmetics and Personal Care Program in response to growing concerns from consumers and retailers over adulterated, mislabeled and counterfeit cosmetic issues.