There is a critical need for appropriate, fit-for-purpose testing across the botanical space, with training on the how an important first step.

Heather Granato, VP, Partnerships & Sustainability

July 13, 2020

Despite the impact on business and industry posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, dietary supplement companies are still obligated to meet regulatory requirements including supplier qualification, ingredient testing, aspects of GMP compliance and more; every person involved in compliance must understand their responsibilities. To support the gap around in-person education and training, NSF International has developed Quality & Regulatory Digital Week, taking place August 3 to 7, 2020. Designed with the global nutraceutical industry in mind, various courses delve into particular aspects of regulatory compliance. The two-part Botanical Identification and Testing Course, set for August 6 and 7, addresses a range of issues unique to the herbal industry. In this Healthy Insider podcast, John Travis, senior research scientist at NSF, offers thoughts around the importance of botanical identification and testing methodologies.

In this podcast, Travis and Informa’s Heather Granato discuss:

  • Why botanical identification continues to be of critical interest across the global supplement space, particularly as it relates to vendor qualification.

  • Concerns around the issue of supply chain scarcity and potential adulteration, and how that could impact testing processes and methods.

  • Key steps that manufacturers can take to ensure their botanical materials meet quality specs.

Botanical Identification and Testing”, part of NSF’s Quality & Regulatory Digital Week, will take place August 6 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. EDT, and August 7 from 10:00 a.m. to noon EDT. To learn more about this two-part virtual training or get registered, click here.

Got feedback? Email Heather at [email protected].

About the Author(s)

Heather Granato

VP, Partnerships & Sustainability, Informa Markets, Food EMEA division

Heather Granato is a 30-year veteran of the natural products industry, currently serving as vice president, partnerships & sustainability, in the Food EMEA division of Informa Markets. She is based in London, and leads efforts related to industry partnerships and broader sustainability initiatives for the Vitafoods and Food ingredients brands. She has been a presenter at events including SupplySide, Vitafoods, Food ingredients, Natural Products Expo, the Natural Gourmet Show and the Folio: Show. Her publishing experience includes Natural Products Insider, Food Product Design, Vitafoods Insights, Country Living's Healthy Living, Natural Foods Merchandiser, Delicious Magazine and WomenOf.com. Granato serves as the founding president of Women In Nutraceuticals, a global non-profit founded in 2022 focused on empowering women in the nutraceutical industry; she is also on the board of directors for the Organic & Natural Health Association. From 2016 to 2022, she was a vice president on the national governing board of Kappa Alpha Theta women’s fraternity. Granato was named to the FOLIO: 100 list of top media professionals in 2018, and was selected as a 2015 Top Woman in Media by FOLIO:. She received the 2014 Visionary Award and the 2018 Journalistic Excellence Award from the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA); and was honored with the CEO Merit Award for Content from Virgo in 2014. Granato graduated magna cum laude from the University of Richmond, Virginia, in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.

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