Adulteration of Dietary Supplements by the Illegal Addition of Synthetic Drugs: A Review

• Type: Another Publication in an International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2016

Authors

Rocha, T (Author) Other; Amaral, JS (Author) Other; Beatriz B P P Oliveira (Author) FFUP

Journal

Title: Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety

Vol. 60

Pages: 43-62

ISSN: 1541-4337

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 50 Citations

Scopus - 98 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00K-0M6

DOI: 10.1111/1541-4337.12173

Abstract (EN): In the last few years, the consumption of dietary supplements, especially those having plants as ingredients, has been increasing due to the common idea that they are natural products posing no risks to human health. In the European Union and the United States, dietary supplements are legally considered as foods/special category of foods, thus are not being submitted to any safety assessment prior to their commercialization. Among the issues that can affect safety, adulteration by the illegal addition of pharmaceutical substances or their analogs is of major concern since unscrupulous producers can falsify these products to provide for quick effects and to increase sales. This review discusses the various classes of synthetic drugs most frequently described as being illegally added to dietary supplements marketed for weight loss, muscle building/sport performance and sexual performance enhancement. Information regarding regulation and consumption is also presented. Finally, several conventional and advanced analytical techniques used to detect and identify different adulterants in dietary supplements and therefore also in foods, with particular emphasis on plant food supplements, are critically described. This review demonstrates that dietary supplement adulteration is an emerging food safety problem and that an effective control by food regulatory authorities is needed to safeguard consumers.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 20