In a recent edition of Nutraceuticals Now, Beta Analytic Research Associate Anna Lykkeberg examined the adulteration of curcumin and how this translates into quality control for natural products in general. The article outlines the adulteration challenges and the role that carbon-14 testing can play in detecting petrochemical-derived adulterants in curcumin as well as the implications adulteration holds for supply chain integrity and the use of the “natural” label.
As natural products like curcumin and turmeric become evermore popular, so follows a rising incentive for economically motivated adulteration. One key adulterant of naturally sourced curcumin is the synthetic form sourced from petrochemicals as it is significantly cheaper to manufacture.
The implications of such adulteration are serious. The integrity of the supply chain is broken, the quality of the final product can no longer be assured and this is a potential food safety issue. Any products making use of the “natural” label face the additional problem of misleading consumers if any synthetic ingredients are detected. Both of these problems can have long-term legal and financial repercussions. Staying on top of quality control in this fast-paced market is crucial.
For more information, see Beta Analytic’s article “Curcumin and Adulteration in the Natural Products Industry” in the Supply Side West (SSW) 2018 issue of Nutraceuticals Now.
ISO 17025-accredited Beta Analytic provides the nutraceuticals industry high-quality carbon-14 analysis to detect the presence of any petrochemical-derived synthetic adulterants. Results are reported within 7 business days or less with technical support available throughout the submission process. For inquiries, please contact the lab.
This entry was posted on Monday, November 12th, 2018 and is filed under Beta Analytic Updates, Natural Product Testing, Supplement Carbon-14 Testing .
