The nutrients used in supplements are available in lots of different grades ranging from high purity grades for human clinical nutrition through to the grades used in pet foods and farm animal feeds.
Wherever possible we use the pharmaceutical grades, or at very least the grades designed for human nutrition. So for example our vitamins are either British Pharmacopeia (BP) or United States Pharmacopeia (USP) grades, both of which are tightly defined specifications of purity and potency. However, the much cheaper animal feed grade nutrients are widely available, and we have on a number of occasions been offered them for use in our products. But of course we’ve refused to use them, even though they could potentially save us a lot of money.
We wonder if every supplement manufacturer takes the same stance?
Tests Carried Out On Our Raw Materials
Many natural ingredients used in supplements are prone to contamination so we use the greatest vigilance and a process of routine chemical analysis to ensure the following are either absent or well below the permitted levels.
- Aflatoxins
- Antibiotics
- Genetically Modified
- Irradiated Ingredients
- Heavy metals
- PCBs
- PAHs
- Pesticides
Years of Experience In Buying Raw Materials
Our buyers can separate the ‘wheat from the chaff’ with a few simple questions but you need a lot of experience to know which questions to ask.
The few suppliers that pass this stage then undergo auditing, site visits and rigorous tests of their raw materials before being accepted as a supplier to Nature’s Best.
