March 12, 2015 general

I just returned from the biggest trade show in the natural products industry. (It is so big that I’m not sure that one end of the exhibit hall is in the same zip code as the other end.) Due to appointments with current and prospective radio show sponsors, I didn’t see all the booths in spite of walking more than 5 miles a day. However, I did see a generous sampling and here is a bit of what I found:

FOODS. Although there were wonderfully nutritious foods in the hall, there were also many offerings that seem to be just capitalizing on fads and raised questions in my mind. Is there no practical limit to the number of coconut waters that the market can absorb? Isn’t a refined starchy snack still bad for us even if made from non-GMO grain? Are we expected to ignore the sugar content in gluten-free “s’mores”? Isn’t a candy bar made of organic ingredients still a candy bar? Does sprinkling kale on Twinkies® really turn them into health food?

The bottom line idea is that we want to eat whole real foods that are as unprocessed and close to nature as possible and prepared with a minimum of sugar and additives. Of course, we do aim for those foods to be organic, non-GMO and if you like, gluten-free.

SUPPLEMENTS. Fine high quality supplement manufacturers (such as our sponsors) are very concerned about an unfair attack on nutritional supplements that is being waged by the Attorney General (AG) of New York state, Eric Schneiderman. This politician seems to be grandstanding to get attention from the media. He has publicly embarrassed a number of retailers and many manufacturers by claiming that several types of supplements contain non-active materials rather than what the product labels say is inside. He has forced companies to stop selling the products. If Mr. Schneiderman was correct, he would be doing a good thing. But, sadly, there seems to be no scientific basis for his claims. While DNA testing famously solves crimes, the DNA barcode procedure NY employed in its study is suitable neither to identify herbal extracts nor to quantify the other encapsulation ingredients that are allowed to be used.

Fortunately, not all of the media has been bamboozled into spreading his misinformation. Bless, Nicola Twilley for doing some real investigative reporting of the facts for her New Yorker article, entitled How Not to Test a Dietary Supplement. Using several reliable sources, the author confirms what the supplement industry spokespersons have been saying (even in defense of their competitors). The U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) is the well-respected final authority on such matters. They describe themselves as “a scientific nonprofit organization that sets standards for the identity, strength, quality, and purity of medicines, food ingredients, and dietary supplements manufactured, distributed and consumed worldwide. USP’s drug standards are enforceable in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration, and these standards are used in more than 140 countries.” Author Twilley quotes the organization as saying “The U.S.P. does not currently recommend DNA bar coding in any of its standards.”

Even though this NY AG used the wrong tests for supplements and is way off base with at least the bulk of his accusations, that hasn’t stopped him from using his office’s powerful bullhorn to scare consumers away from supplements that might have helped them; to damage the business of innocent companies; and even to recruit AG’s in other states in what appears to be an effort to make himself look like a crusader and a leader among his peers. Is it malice or just a reckless lack of due-diligence? Whatever it is, it may take lawsuits to slow down this ill-conceived witch hunt. In any case, I hope the voters of NY are not fooled into voting for this guy again. If you would like to make your voice heard before this nonsense spreads to wherever you live, here are some easy ways: Email Attorney General Letitia James, Email the Attorney Generals of other states.