The European Botanical Forum (EBF) has published the "Quality Guide for Botanical Food Supplements" to help manufacturers of botanical foods supplements guarantee the quality of their products.
The guide aims to promote best practice in the production - including manufacturing, quality control, packaging, distribution and storage - of food supplements containing botanicals and botanical preparations.
The 120-page guide was compiled with the technical assistance of experts from EBF member companies and its member associations, and builds on quality guidelines for food supplements and those specifically applied by leading botanical food and food supplement manufacturers.
The guide also incorporates mandatory requirements from EU legislation as well as recommended requirements based on examples of best practices.
EBF chair Sindy Staessen said, "While the mandatory requirements are obligatory, the guide's recommended requirements should be incorporated into the production operations where appropriate and practical, as determined by the manufacturer.
"Food supplements have to comply with all relevant aspects of food legislation in terms of composition, manufacture and control, and this publication has paid particular attention to these requirements. It is intended to provide guidelines for the promotion of best practice in the production of botanical food supplements sold in the EU."
