As preventative care becomes more popular and chronic health conditions grow more common, food supplement manufacturing is poised for significant expansion.
The industry’s estimated compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is as much as 9.1% through 2030, for a projected 2030 revenue of over $327 billion.
These health-conscious consumers need to know that their supplements are pure and effective, but in less regulated industries like supplements, this can be hard to prove.
One way to gain consumer confidence is through USP independent certification and the USP Verified Mark, which consumers recognize as a sign of quality.
“[USP’s verification program is] the Marines of the dietary supplement certification military.” – Loren Israelsen, President of the United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA)
Suzanne Kingsbury, Director of Quality
Food Supplement Manufacturer Regulation
The FDA sets rules and regulations for supplements in the United States. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 states that supplement producers must not make “adulterated” or “misbranded” products, giving the FDA authority to intervene if they find such products.
However, supplements are not regulated to the same strict standards with which the FDA regulates drugs. In fact, under the Act, supplements are classified as foods rather than drugs, significantly lowering the oversight required of them.
In practice, this means supplement manufacturers don’t have to prove safety and effectiveness in the same way that pharmaceutical companies may have to. However, only meeting minimum regulatory standards doesn’t always cut it in the modern marketplace.
Health Conscious Consumers
Consumers who regularly take dietary supplements are particularly concerned about the purity and effectiveness of the products they put in their bodies.
A report from PwC identifies the three main challenges facing the industry:
- Challenging regulatory environment
- Threat of counterfeit dietary supplements
- Consumer distrust
These concerns indicate that food supplement manufacturers pay the price for looser regulations, which lower consumer confidence and hurt manufacturers’ bottom lines.
USP Verification in Food Supplement Manufacturing
Companies such as food supplement manufacturer Pharmavite can solve this problem through USP verification:
“Consumers are more focused on health and wellness than ever before and, as the continued growth within the vitamin and supplement industry has led to an influx of new brands and products in the space, the USP Verified Mark helps identify the brands prioritizing quality and transparency.” — Martin Dennison, Vice President, Pharmavite
What Does the USP Verified Mark Mean?
USP (US Pharmacopeia) verification is a process for certifying the safety and reliability of a supplement’s ingredients. Specifically, a food supplement manufacturer with the USP verification mark on their products communicates to consumers:
- The product contains the ingredients listed on the label, in the claimed amounts
- The product does not contain certain specified contaminants at harmful levels
- The product will break down successfully in the body, achieving its full effect
- The production process follows the FDA’s current Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) Guidelines
Manufacturers using USP Verified ingredients can put the Mark on their products, signaling to consumers that their supplements are trustworthy. Consumers can be confident that Verified products won’t cause harm due to substandard production or sourcing.
Achieving USP Verification
Food supplement manufacturers hoping to achieve USP verification for their products must go through a rigorous process. President of the United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA) Loren Israelsen has even described USP’s verification program as “the Marines of the dietary supplement certification military.”
This process involves:
- An audit of manufacturing facilities to ensure that operations are in compliance with USP guidelines and FDA GMPs
- A thorough review of documentation related to quality control and manufacturing
- Laboratory testing of samples from supplements
- Off-the-shelf testing to ensure that consumers are receiving the product as represented by labeling
One key to ensuring compliance with USP guidance is for food supplement manufacturers to work with USP Verified suppliers.
Corrupted raw materials result in a corrupted end product. Just as consumers look for the USP Verified Mark as a sign that they can trust a supplement, manufacturers can look for the Mark to find trustworthy suppliers of raw materials — such as food and medical-grade excipients.
Build Trust with Consumers: USP Verified White Oils from Renkert Oil
Renkert Oil has gone through the challenging process of achieving USP verification to better serve our customers in food supplement manufacturing.
This distinction sets us apart, as Renkert Oil is the only U.S. supplier of USP Verified white oils as excipients for supplement applications.
In addition to USP Verified options, our customers choose Renoil White Oils for many desirable properties:
- Pure and bright
- Odorless and tasteless
- Adjustable custom viscosities and inert chemical properties
Our USP verification means that food supplement manufacturers can trust Renkert Oil’s commitment to quality and safety, and can more easily achieve USP Verified status for the highest quality end product.
For more information about Renkert’s commitment to creating high-quality, safe products, and about using our white mineral oils in your application, contact us today.
