Wednesday, March 05, 2008 Many food supplement makers don't have quality control By Carlo P. Mallo
APART from unbelievable claims of cures for illnesses, which have no cure in their television and radio advertisements, there is another reason to be wary about food supplements.
This, since most of these manufacturers are not subjected to strict quality control measures and may thus be producing supplements that are contaminated with naturally present toxins, like aflatoxins.
In an interview Monday, Dr. Anthony Sales, a mycotoxicologist of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-Southern Mindanao, said even food supplements, especially the herbal ones, are not exempted from aflatoxins.
Aflatoxin, a poison produced by a fungus, is considered carcinogenic.
Sales said most ingredients used in food supplements are air dried over low temperatures.
"Aflatoxins are heat resistant and could withstand temperatures higher than 100 degrees Centigrade," Sales said.
As most food supplements nowadays use herbal plants, Sales said people must be extra cautious in taking these food supplements.
He added that there should be scientific basis for the claims and that people would only rely on the testimonies of the people who have used the product as shown in most advertisements of the food supplement companies.
