78-5 |
Safety concerns of bioactive botanical products from Asia |
C. Y. W. ANG, National Center for Toxicological Research, U.S. Food & Drug Administration, Chemistry Division, 3900 NCTR Rd., HFT-230, Jefferson, AR 72079 and Y. W. Huang, Dept. of Food Science & Technology, Univ. of Georgia, 204 Food Science Bldg., Athens, GA 30602. Along with the economic growth in recent years, consumers are increasingly interested in supplementing their diets with extra "nutrients" or "nonnutritive health factors" for health purposes. This group of products has been referred to as "dietary supplements", "health foods", "functional foods" or "nutraceuticals". Many botanical or herbal products containing biologically active components are classified in this group. Consumers often believe that these "natural" products can provide health benefits in preventing or treating illness and adjusting body functions for health improvements. However, since these products are not subjected to established regulations or inspections in many regions, the efficacy and safety aspects are of great concerns to health professionals. Potential safety problems include the contamination of harmful microorganisms, pesticide residues, heavy metals and other toxic herbs (such as Aristolochia). Whereas, incorrect use of medicinal herbs can produce drug interactions and serious adverse health effects. Marketing of botanicals has been expending rapidly both in Asia and Western countries. Several medicinal herbs of Asian origin, e.g., ginseng, ginkgo, Siberian ginseng and ma huang, have become popular in the U. S. market as dietary supplements. But, accurate information of product quality and usage are not always available to consumers, and misuse of certain bioactive botanicals has caused sickness and even death. Appropriate regulations, scientific investigations and information exchanges are important for ensuring the safety and effective usage of botanical supplements.
Session 78, Traditional Asian functional food products and markets
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