Herbalife Nutrition Unveils Botanical DNA Field Testing Device and Methods at Summit
Herbalife Nutrition, a premier global nutrition company whose purpose is to make the world healthier and happier, today hosted the 6th annual nutrition industry scientific summit, in Torrance, California. At the summit, industry experts and those from academia shared information and new strategies on a broad range of nutrition-related topics, including developments in botanical identification, manufacturing quality control, the science of gut health, and the Food Safety Modernization Act.
“Our continued investment in technology, research and manufacturing quality, further strengthens our position as a nutrition industry leader and helps set industry standards,” said Dr. John Agwunobi, Co-President and Chief Health and Nutrition Officer, Herbalife Nutrition.
Herbalife Nutrition quality control analytical scientist, Dr. Zhengfei Lu and Dr. Steven Newmaster, professor of Botany & Genomics at the University of Guelph, Canada, demonstrated a botanical DNA field-testing device and discussed methodologies that could help all manufacturers accurately identify botanicals. Additionally, Herbalife Nutrition announced that Dr. Lu’s paper has been accepted for publishing in the peer reviewed Journal of AOAC International. The paper, “Single Laboratory Validation of a Two-Tiered DNA Barcoding Method for Raw Botanical Identification,” describes how the new technology aides in the quality control of manufactured nutrition products.
Dr. David Heber, Chairman of the Herbalife Nutrition Institute and Founding Director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of California, Los Angeles, shared insights into the human microbiome, the new science behind its relationship with botanicals, and how a healthy microbiome directly links to people’s health and happiness.
In addition to a presentation on scientific advances and innovations, attendees received a regulatory update on the Food Safety Modernization Act from Darryl Sullivan, AOAC/Eurofins. Dr. Kristy Appelhans, senior director of Global Consumer Safety, and Joyce Cao, senior analyst of Global Consumer Safety at Herbalife Nutrition provided an important overview of frameworks for best practices in post-market consumer safety and product quality monitoring.
