American Botanical Council

Alkemist Labs Releases List Of “Herbs & Fungi We’re Watching” for Second Half of 2024, Naming 20 Ingredients Requiring Extra Scrutiny. Please enjoy this list of the botanicals and fungi that most frequently failed identity testing during the second half of 2024. This information is valuable in that it identifies botanicals for which more care should be taken in sourcing and testing. It also can reveal some interesting trends. All samples were tested using High Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) to assess identity and quality of botanicals and various ingredients.   This list is representative of the products Alkemist’s manufacturer clients are testing before they put them into their products as well as some finished products. Several of the materials on this list are making a repeat appearance, including Lion’s mane, Lemon balm, monk fruit, Rhodiola, Stevia, and Ashwagandha. Interestingly, the botanical that saw the most failures in 2023 and the first half of 2024, elderberry, did not make this latest “most failed” list. GOOD JOB ELDERBERRY!!! “We share this information with the industry so companies can be more vigilant,” said Petra Erlandson, Alkemist Labs Director of Sales and Marketing. “Additionally, we think it’s important that those sourcing raw material familiarize themselves with American Botanical Council’s Botanical Adulterants Prevention Program (BAPP) and its tools, and develop a policy for handing serious quality issues in advance.” For specifics on methodology, please contact your rep at Alkemist Labs.

Happy Holidays from all of us at the American Botanical Council! We wish you, your family, and your friends a holiday season overflowing with joy, vitality, and robust health.

This comprehensive piece was authored by Marisa Williams, ND, RH(AHG), R&D Staff Scientist at Traditional Medicinals, in collaboration with fellow Traditional Medicinals scientists Aaron Jenks, PhD, from the R&D team, and Erin McKinsey, MS, from the Quality team. Together, they’ve crafted a detailed exploration of this cherished North American native medicinal herb in the American Botanical Council's most recent HerbalGram journal. Dive into the full article to uncover fascinating pharmacological research, history and insights about this remarkable plant: https://lnkd.in/gHj7vZ4S #BotanicalWisdom #HerbalExperts #Herbalist #CaliforniaPoppy #TraditionalMedicinals #HerbalGram

Considering supporting ABC this Giving Tuesday? Your contribution helps provide the vital resources to operate ABC’s unique and essential 501(c)(3) nonprofit research programs, including the award-winning Botanical Adulterants Prevention Program. You make it possible for ABC to continue delivering on its educational mission to promote the responsible use of herbal medicine around the world. Together, we can help bring the knowledge of herbal medicine closer to communities everywhere. Support ABC here: https://bit.ly/49BCfa9

Did you miss ABC’s talk on the BAPP SOP at SupplySide West 2024? The 30-minute video discussion is now available for free viewing.   Taneesha  Routier-Rogers, director of regulatory affairs for professional-channel dietary supplement brand XYMOGEN, said: “The SOP has certainly saved us a lot of time and helped us financially because it provides a clear roadmap for what to do [with adulterated materials] and when…in the end it saves so much time and so much effort.”    To learn more about the financial benefits of adopting the BAPP SOP, visit our website here: https://bit.ly/48VKiht

This week on his radio show, Kisc My Health, Stephen Lukawski will talk with Mark Blumenthal, founder, American Botanical Council. Mark has been an pioneer in the herbal & natural products industry for over 40 years. His other titles include Editor-in-Chief & Publisher of HerbalGram, an international peer-reviewed quarterly journal. 🎧 Listen on Thursday, November 14th, 12 noon ET https://lnkd.in/ev6R3mEY #radio #kiscmyhealth #cranman #natural #herbs

We loved seeing the throwback photos from 1994 celebrating the 30th anniversary of the 𝐃𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐜𝐭 (DSHEA) of 1994! A big thank you to Asa Waldstein, Loren Israelsen, and Sarah Burden for kicking this fun idea off. We’re excited to add to the memories by sharing one of Mark Blumenthal’s photo from the 90s. In honor of this historic milestone, you’ll see the HerbalGram issue from 1994 below, featuring Mark’s article on DSHEA published the day it passed by Congress. Click the link to discover the history of DSHEA here: https://lnkd.in/eSiFUE_j #dietarysupplements #DSHEA94pic #BAPP 

Important session at #SupplySideWest this morning on the American Botanical Council Botanical Adulterants Prevention Program focused on reducing adulteration in botanical ingredients and finished products sold as #dietarysupplements and other goods and the SOPs for removal of adulterated materials from the supply chain. https://lnkd.in/enaWBDXU Taneesha Routier J.D. of Council for Responsible Nutrition member XYMOGEN spoke about how the company has adopted the SOPs and the value they bring to the business in addition to doing the right thing! Stefan Gafner | Michael Levin | Tom Dubinski

The BAPP Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), our proprietary guide for how to handle adulterated ingredients in the supply chain, is the subject of a SupplySide Stage presentation TODAY at this year’s SupplySide West 2024. Catch the presentation from 11:15-11:45 a.m. at the SupplySide Stage Booth #5764. Didn't make the conference this year? Watch the live session here: https://bit.ly/3NOStTc If your company is interested in learning more about the BAPP SOP, the BAPP team will be available for implementation consultations. Interested parties can contact Anna Jackson at ABC, [email protected] to reserve a meeting.

Are you at SupplySide West 2024? Come find us at Booth #7455!   On Thursday, Oct. 31st at 11:15 a.m., hear from our very own Chief Science Officer Stefan Gafner, who will be joined by others in the industry for a discussion on adulteration in the food, supplement, cosmetic and over the counter drug supply chain.   Find the schedule here: https://bit.ly/4hqQYIa