Dietary supplements introduction

GAYLE DE MARIA
AgroFOOD industry hi-tech
gayle@teknoscienze.com

Many trends are emerging in the dietary supplements fi eld. First, consumer demand for dietary supplements is stronger than ever and continues to grow. A recent study, for example, commissioned by AIIPA – Associazione Italiana Industrie Alimentari – to AstraRicherche, reveals that Italians use dietary supplements more often than in the past (1). This increased worldwide consumer demand crosses demographic lines. The other leading trend is related to the actual manufacture of dietary supplements. Over the last year, allsupplement manufacturers have been required to follow current Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), the federal regulations typically associated with the manufacture of drug products. Whereas in the US GMP regulations and increased Food and Drug Administration (FDA) enforcement have been welcomed, in Europe manufacturers are concerned that many of the 4,000 or so health claims being made for supplements may be rejected by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). ...