NNFA Makes First Certifications in GMP Program

The Newport Beach, CA-based National Nutritional Foods Association (NNFA), a non-profit trade association for the dietary supplement industry, has announced Nature's Way (Springville, UT) and Wakunaga of America Co., Ltd. (Mission Viejo, CA) as the first companies to have passed the association's Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) certification program. As a symbol of their GMP-certified status, each company was granted use of a specially designed NNFA GMP seal for placement on all product labels.

NNFA's self-regulatory program was developed as part of the association's ongoing efforts to ensure the safety, quality, purity and label integrity of dietary supplements. Participation in this third-party certification program is mandatory for all NNFA members who supply dietary supplements and will be phased in over three years.

"In 1994, the passage of DSHEA gave the FDA the authority to issue good manufacturing practice regulations for dietary supplements," said Michael Ford, executive director of NNFA. "Rather than waiting any longer for the federal government, NNFA decided to take action to ensure consumer safety."

The announcements and GMP seal presentations were made at a press conference during the association's annual convention and trade show, MarketPlace '99 in Las Vegas. On hand at the event was U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), who often acts as a watchdog for consumer protection issues related to food safety.

"I commend the efforts of the National Nutritional Foods Association and their bold move toward implementing mandatory GMP guidelines for their members," said Harkin. "NNFA has picked up the ball that the FDA dropped. This program is an important step toward the dietary supplement industry's goal of ensuring product quality and consumer safety."

NNFA's GMP program requires third-party inspections of manufacturing facilities to determine whether NNFA-specified standards are being met. These standards include specifications for testing of raw and finished materials, staff training, cleanliness, equipment maintenance and record keeping.

While Nature's Way and Wakunaga of America are the first two manufacturers to participate in the GMP certification process, already more than 30 suppliers have signed up to go through the audit, and by 2002, all NNFA member manufacturers will be certified.