Bovine Liver Supplement Labeling Practices and Compliance With U.S. Regulations

Abstract

Bovine liver supplements are sought after by consumers due to their nutrient-dense profile and high protein content. However, there is a lack of information regarding bovine liver supplement labeling practices. The objective of this study was to assess labeling practices and compliance with U.S. regulatory standards among commercially sold bovine liver supplements. The product labels for 49 bovine liver supplements were examined for required information, including a statement of identity; net quantity of contents; “Supplement Facts” label; ingredient statement; and name and place of business of manufacturer, packer, or distributor with domestic address or telephone number. Any claims made on the supplement labels were also reviewed for compliance. Overall, 59% of the products had at least one instance of noncompliance with U.S. labeling regulations. The main categories of noncompliance were missing a domestic mailing address or phone number (39% of products), noncompliant nutrient content claim (31% of products), and missing/noncompliant disclaimer for a nutritional support statement (6% of products). The lack of a mailing address or phone number is problematic because it prevents consumers from being able to report serious adverse events to the manufacturer. The majority (85%) of the nutrient content observed on product labels was found to be noncompliant. Noncompliant nutrient content claims are a major concern for consumers who rely on these claims to assess the nutritional benefits of a product. Overall, the results of this study revealed a lack of labeling compliance in bovine liver supplements, indicating a need for increased awareness and monitoring.

KEYWORDS:

• Bovine liver
• dietary supplements
• labeling compliance
• nutrient content claims
• structure/function claims

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by internal funding from Chapman University Schmid College of Science and Technology.

Declaration of interest

Olive Dahm is employed at a dietary supplement manufacturing company. Anthony Silva and Rosalee Hellberg report no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Anthony J. Silva, MS

Anthony Silva, M.S., is a Research Associate in the Food Protection Laboratory at Chapman University. He teaches an introductory biology course at Chapman University and an introductory food science course at Orange Coast College. Anthony received his M.S. in Food Science at Chapman University, where he conducted research on seafood mislabeling and fraud.

Olive J. Dahm, MS

Olive Dahm completed her M.S. in Food Science at Chapman University, where she conducted research on molecular authentication and labeling compliance of bovine liver supplements. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from Case Western Reserve University. She is currently working as a Research Scientist for a dietary supplement manufacturer.

Rosalee S. Hellberg

Rosalee Hellberg, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Food Science Program at Chapman University. She teaches courses on Food Fraud and Food Microbiology. She also runs the Food Protection Laboratory, which conducts research to address challenges in food fraud and food safety. Dr. Hellberg received an M.S. and Ph.D. in Food Science and Technology at Oregon State University, where she conducted research on seafood safety and mislabeling. She completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the FDA working on the development and optimization of DNA-based methods for the detection of food pathogens and food mislabeling.