I’ve spent a solid chunk of the last 48 hours behind the wheel of a (rental) car, so I’m just getting to this part now, even though the show wrapped up on Wednesday. But this was arguably the most interesting day of the three, so it’s worth recounting.<\/p>\n
There were two stand-out moments… The first was\u00a0a talk by Carl Reynolds, a senior advisor in the Division of Dietary Supplement Programs at FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN). His talk concerned GMPs (good manufacturing practices). This might seem like a dull topic, but what compelled my attention was\u00a0his obvious exasperation – it was written on his face and in his voice. He wasn’t giving a talk to the industry people in the room… he was delivering a lecture, like a harried parent might to an unruly child.<\/p>\n
Basically, he was taking the attendees out to the woodshed, for GMP violations that – from my perspective as a (former) food scientist – were fundamental, “everyone-should-be-doing-this-already” kinds of things.\u00a0 As he recounted it, FDA inspectors have been finding problems with vermin control, inadequate ingredient\/product testing and slipshod documentation. The room was packed with industry types, yet there were NO protests –\u00a0or any\u00a0indication at all\u00a0that these folks disagreed with how he was characterizing their operations.<\/p>\n
Overall, I found this to be a bit creepy.<\/p>\n
The second thing that drew me in was the vendor expo: quite a few manufacturers had booths staffed with reps, who were handing out literature and business cards. I had some interesting chats with folks (this was fun – I’m always up for talking!)… but I was also amused by an interesting “disconnect” on display. I was surrounded\u00a0 by folks who ostensibly serve the cause of consumer health and fitness, yet junk food was in evidence everywhere.\u00a0 Industry reps were drinking soda and eating pizza, chips, soft pretzels\u00a0and ice cream – the Expo Center snack bar appeared to be doing a brisk business.\u00a0 And while I was there, buffet tables\u00a0were being set up in several spots in the hall – for serving complimentary hot dogs and tacos.<\/p>\n
I took a pass on the junk,\u00a0 natch… but the whole thing made me smile inwardly.\u00a0 The natural products and nutraceuticals business is – first and foremost – a business… and the majority of\u00a0people who get involved in it, do so\u00a0to make money – not because they’re personally dedicated to health and fitness.\u00a0 This first\u00a0hit home some years ago, when I attended the ISSN conference.\u00a0Although there wasn’t a big industry presence there,\u00a0a few companies put in an appearance.\u00a0 So in the course of milling around the poster session,\u00a0I chatted up a couple of company sales reps\u00a0who were\u00a0there to promote\u00a0a\u00a0well-known fat loss supplement ingredient.\u00a0 The irony was that both of them were\u00a0 quite overweight (one was frankly obese, tbh) and actually had very little knowledge about the clinical studies that were being touted in the product literature they were handing out.<\/p>\n
It’s par for the course, I guess. You’d think most companies would want their reps to “walk the walk” – but since they’re among “friends” at shows like this – I guess they don’t feel the need.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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