Herbal supplements found full of fillers

[nothinghead]

 

Using a test called DNA barcoding, a kind of genetic fingerprinting that has also been used to help uncover labeling fraud in the commercial seafood industry, Canadian researchers tested 44 bottles of popular supplements sold by 12 companies. They found that many were not what they claimed to be, and that pills labeled as popular herbs were often diluted — or replaced entirely — by cheap fillers like soybean, wheat and rice.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/05/science/herbal-supplements-are-often-not-what-they-seem.html?ref=science&_r=1&

[Auxin]

Not at all surprising or new.

I have pharmaceutical books from 70 years ago listing common adulterants and identity/purity tests for what people now call 'herbal supplements', its a problem as old as trade.

This is why I prefer to buy herbs in chunks large enough to individually examine. It immediately reduces a certain amount of fraud.

.. or just plan ahead and grow the herbs myself.

[Change]

Does anyone know of a place in australia that i could send herbal supplements to for testing? 

Edited January 24, 2017 by Change

[theuserformallyknownasd00d]

Wouldn't under your scope be a good first choice? Or uni?

[Change]

I wish this was something i could do myself, but light microscopy doesn't have the resolution required.

I think (gs-ms) is needed, but im not 100% certain, maybes there are better way of testing. 

 

Hopefully someone with experience testing herbal supplements can chime in 

[waterboy 2.0]

A lot of herbs are done by light scope in a lot of countries, usually screening as such using trichomes and other external structures.

 

I came across a series of volumes on the subject (screening herbal products for adulterants), with excellent micrographs. Thats for more "raw" products, if its ground to dust it would be harder to see features and easier to adulterate.

 

I cant recall the title at the moment though, when I recall I'll edit it in. Was nearly a Gig of files (due to images) and couldnt justify downloading it...lol...my digital library is nuts enough.

 

Edit - if its highly refined powder or pilled, I'd reckon it would be adulterated and would have a fair volime of fillers. Be testing for actives then.....ching-ching on testing then.

 

Edited January 25, 2017 by waterboy 2.0

[teamwhy]

One of the tests I do when I get something is a starch test with iodine. It's basic, cheap and quick.

Edited January 30, 2017 by teamwhy