On the dietary supplement market, products containing the same declared ingredient may appear very similar – with comparable compositions, identical dosages and similar claimed properties. However, this does not mean that the raw materials used are identical in terms of quality, origin, purity or authenticity.
For this reason, quality control of dietary supplements should not be limited solely to determining the quantity of a declared substance. For certain raw materials, confirming their identity and characteristic profile is equally important. Krill oil is a good example, as verifying its authenticity may require a broader analytical approach than simply determining the total EPA and DHA content.
Why does the quantity of an ingredient not always confirm its quality?
Determining the content of a specific compound is one of the fundamental elements of dietary supplement quality control. It allows manufacturers to verify whether the amount of an active substance corresponds to product specifications and declarations. However, a quantitative result does not always provide complete information about the raw material used.
Dietary supplements and nutraceutical raw materials may differ in terms of composition, purity, origin and authenticity. Two products may therefore contain similar amounts of specific compounds, even though the source of these substances or the overall profile of the raw material is different.
This is particularly important for high-value ingredients whose properties depend not only on the presence of an individual compound, but also on the specific composition of the raw material as a whole.
This raises an important question: does the analysis only confirm the quantity of a particular ingredient, or does it also verify its actual identity?
Krill oil – an example of the importance of raw material authenticity
Krill oil is used in dietary supplements as a source of omega-3 fatty acids. One of its characteristic features is its specific lipid profile, including a significant proportion of EPA and DHA bound to phospholipids.
This profile plays an important role in assessing the authenticity of the raw material. Focusing exclusively on total EPA and DHA content may not provide sufficient information to determine whether the material being tested actually corresponds to the declared raw material.
Krill oil may be diluted or substituted with other materials, including less expensive fish oils, omega-3 concentrates or vegetable oils. If quality control is limited to selected quantitative parameters, detecting such differences may be difficult.
This example demonstrates why, for certain dietary supplement ingredients, asking “how much?” may not be enough. It can be equally important to determine “what exactly is present in the sample?”
What does ingredient identity testing verify?
The purpose of raw material identity testing is to verify whether the material used in the production of a dietary supplement actually corresponds to the declared ingredient.
In practice, the scope of assessment may cover several complementary areas:
- Origin – determining where the raw material comes from,
- Identity – confirming whether the material is actually the declared ingredient,
- Composition – assessing whether its molecular profile is consistent with the characteristics of the declared source,
- Purity – verifying the absence of unwanted or lower-cost substitute materials,
- Stability – assessing whether the raw material or product has undergone degradation or oxidation.
This approach makes it possible to extend quality control beyond a single parameter and assess the raw material as a material with specific, characteristic properties.
How can the authenticity of raw materials be tested?
Authenticity assessment requires analytical methods to be appropriately selected according to the type of raw material and the information that needs to be verified. There is no single universal method suitable for every ingredient used in dietary supplements.
Analytical techniques may include chromatography, mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and spectroscopic profiling. These methods enable different characteristics of the tested material to be analysed and provide more detailed information about its composition.
For oils and other complex raw materials, analysis of their characteristic profile becomes particularly important. Instead of focusing solely on the presence or concentration of a single compound, a broader set of parameters characteristic of a particular material can be evaluated.
The selection of an appropriate method depends on the characteristics of the ingredient, the potential type of adulteration and the purpose of the analysis.
How does identity testing support quality control?
Ingredient identity testing can be relevant at various stages of dietary supplement production. Verification of a raw material before it is used provides additional information about the material entering the manufacturing process.
This is particularly important when high-value or complex ingredients are used, especially where there is a possibility that the declared material could be substituted with a less expensive raw material.
Testing can also support supplier qualification and evaluation. Documentation provided with a raw material is an important part of the quality system, but where justified, it can be supplemented by independent analytical verification.
As a result, quality control can cover not only the quantitative compliance of the product, but also an assessment of whether the materials used meet the established specifications.
From content determination to comprehensive quality assessment
Determining the content of an active substance remains an important element of dietary supplement testing. However, it should not automatically be considered equivalent to fully confirming the quality or authenticity of the raw material used.
For complex ingredients, a more comprehensive approach may combine quantitative analysis with testing that characterises the material profile, confirms its identity and assesses its purity and stability.
This makes it possible to address a broader set of questions: does the product contain the appropriate amount of the declared ingredient, has the correct raw material been used, does its profile correspond to the declared source, and has the material retained its expected properties?
Verified identity as an element of dietary supplement quality
As the dietary supplement market develops, data that objectively confirms the quality of raw materials is becoming increasingly important. This is particularly relevant for high-value ingredients, where the information provided on the label alone does not give a complete picture of the characteristics of the material used.
Analytical confirmation of identity can be an important element of supply control, quality management and verification of material compliance with established specifications.
Knowing how much of a particular ingredient is present in a supplement is important. In many cases, however, it is equally important to confirm what that ingredient actually is.
J.S. Hamilton laboratories offer testing services that support the quality assessment of dietary supplements and the raw materials used in their production. An appropriately selected scope of analysis makes it possible to extend product quality control to parameters relevant to its composition, purity, stability and authenticity.