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Liquid Supplement Manufacturing

About liquid supplement manufacturing

There is a lot of confusion when it comes to understanding liquid supplement manufacturing and liquid vitamins as a whole. For example, you may have heard that dietary supplements are not regulated in the United States. This is a common misconception. Not only are supplements regulated by the FDA, most companies also choose to adhere to additional regulation procedures to give their customers a greater sense of trust and security. This article will help you understand the scrutiny liquid supplement manufacturers have to go through before their products reach the consumer.

So supplements are regulated after all?

Yes. One of the common myths about dietary supplements is that there is no existing national standard of regulation, but this is simply not true. The misconception stems from the fact that the FDA has different, far less defined rules for dietary supplements than it does for pharmaceutical products. In fact, the FDA treats supplements more like “special foods”. This tends to create discomfort among consumers. After all, supplements are manufactured in plants and factories, just like drugs, so we assume they should be regulated the same way. So just what are the existing safety regulations, and what rules do liquid supplement manufacturers have to follow?

FDA approval for liquid supplement manufacturing

All makers of supplements without exception have to obtain FDA approval before they can manufacture their products. The FDA’s biggest demand is proper labeling: what’s on the label must match what is in the bottle. The FDA also enforces some safety standards, such as limiting the acceptable level of contaminants and making sure that the ingredients in the supplement are not unsafe. Because the FDA is a government organization, it is responsible for enforcing laws and regulations. However, the FDA certification on your supplement bottle comes with a limitation. When it comes to liquid supplement manufacturing, the FDA does not closely regulate testing, safety or efficacy of the product. In other words, beyond a few basic safety and labeling standards, the FDA cannot ensure that your supplements are of a high quality or purity. However, there are other certifications you can look for which will ensure that these standards are met.

Liquid supplement manufacturer NSF certification

The National Sanitary Foundation, or NSF, is an international non-profit organization which regulates safety standards. It is not affiliated with any government, and has its own completely independent set of requirements for product safety. The NSF has created the only national standard for liquid supplement manufacturing in the U.S., meaning that it is capable of giving liquid vitamins a meaningful stamp of approval. Unlike the FDA, the NSF demands rigorous testing for all the ingredients that go into the manufacturing process, from the raw materials to the final product. It closely regulates such things as ingredient purity and contaminants. It is committed to ensuring product safety, and even works with doping agencies to make sure that your supplements adhere to international rules on illegal doping. Like the FDA, it also demands proper labeling. Indeed, the NSF works closely with the FDA to ensure that all certified products meet both NSF and FDA guidelines.

Liquid Supplement Manufacturers: Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)

So we’ve checked the ingredients, what about everything else? The final component of liquid vitamin manufacturing is adherence to Good Manufacturing Practices, or GMP. This set of requirements is used to check all the other parts of the manufacturing process. This includes good factory hygiene and sanitation; proper handling, labeling, and packaging; good quality control practices; modern manufacturing operations; and even the design of the plants, equipment and tools used to produce liquid vitamins. GMP certification also ensures that all staff are properly trained and educated about the manufacturing process. Adhering to GMP is usually part of NSF certification – but it should come with a separate “GMP” label on your bottle.

What should you look for in a good liquid supplement manufacturer?

So what labels do you want to see on your liquid vitamins? If a product is FDA, NSF and GMP certified, then you have the highest available level of assurance that it meets regulatory standards. It means that the supplement has passed safety and quality regulations in all stages of the manufacturing process from the raw materials that went into making it, all the way to the packaged product you are holding in your hand. Luckily, because these certifications provide such a high degree of trust, you will find that most liquid supplement manufacturers adhere to all of them.

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