Many retailers and consumers of herbal supplements and herb-containing dietary supplements may be surprised to learn that the herbs used in some products may have been sterilized using either of two commonly employed, yet controversial food sterilization techniques—irradiation and the use of ethylene oxide or EtO as it is commonly referred to.
Mineral Resources International, Inc. (MRI) is pleased to announce that the herbs MRI purchases and integrates into its dietary supplement formulas are non-irradiated nor treated with EtO.
EtO treatments have been a common sterilization method in the U.S. for herbs and spices; however, EtO is banned in various other countries. Irradiation is also common, and while it may not be disclosed in product labeling for many U.S. products, some international countries require that product labels divulge the use of irradiation.
“Many retailers and consumers assume that because they are taking an herbal or dietary supplement that it has undergone natural processing and sterilization procedures. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case,” said Chieko Anderson, MRI’s Product Development and Quality Assurance Specialist.
“In keeping with our philosophy of manufacturing high-quality, natural dietary supplements, MRI will only purchase and use herbs in our product formulas that are non-irradiated or sterilized without EtO. This has been a significant undertaking for MRI, and we’ve worked extensively to locate herbs verified to be either raw or that have been sterilized through procedures other than irradiation or EtO. We want retailers and consumers to know—there is a difference with MRI’s products,” stated Chieko Anderson. “The herbs that we use in our formulas are sterilized through what we believe are superior, natural procedures such as steam, heat, or ozone sterilization.”
Irradiation is a modern food sterilization technique, which is currently broadly used for herbs and meat products in the United States.
Ethylene oxide or EtO is another common food sterilization technique. It may be used for certain ingredients or materials that might otherwise be damaged through common sterilization procedures, e.g., pasteurization. EtO is a colorless, odorless, gas of which small amounts are used in the food industry to sterilize herbs and spices. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), animal studies have reported increased rates of liver cancer, mutations, and miscarriages.1 In humans, the IARC reports there is limited evidence for the carcinogenicity of EtO.1
Val Anderson, VP/Director of Sales and Marketing stated, “Natural products retailers and consumers can take great comfort in recommending and using MRI’s products. MRI goes to great lengths to manufacture premium dietary supplements using high-quality forms of ingredients—beginning with minerals our family concentrates and harvests,” said Val Anderson. “The minerals the Anderson family harvests from Utah’s Great Salt Lake are 100 percent natural, GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) and have passed the heavy metals safety test set forth in the U.S. Food Chemicals Codex. We strive to use natural and, wherever possible, vegetarian forms of vitamins and other nutrients. We’re pleased to announce that another component of our product quality is the use of non-irradiated, non-EtO treated herbs.”
In the U.S., dietary supplements manufactured by MRI are sold under the Health Solute ions brand in the U.S. Visit www.soluteions.com for more information. You can also visit www.mineralresourcesint.com.
About Mineral Resources International, Inc.:
Founded through a parent company in 1969 by the Anderson family, Mineral Resources International, Inc. (MRI) (www.mineralresourcesint.com) specializes in developing, manufacturing, and distributing noteworthy nutritional supplements in liquid, tablet, and powder delivery forms integrating naturally occurring minerals and trace minerals harvested from Utah’s Great Salt Lake. Through its close relationship with Northshore Limited Partnership, its exclusive supplier and the only government-inspected, food-grade, solar evaporation mineral harvester on the Great Salt Lake, MRI, Inc. goes to great lengths to ensure an all-natural, GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe)-certified mineral and trace mineral product while maintaining consistent standardization, concentration, and balance in each lot of product produced. MRI, Inc. manufactures a complete line of innovative dietary supplements ranging from multi-vitamins to targeted nutritional formulas using all-natural ionic minerals. In addition, MRI, Inc. provides a complete portfolio of natural ionic mineral ingredients for use in supplement, functional beverages and foods. MRI’s products are sold worldwide through a variety of distribution channels including natural products and specialty retail stores, salons and estheticians, and natural health care practitioners.
References:
1. International Agency for Research on Cancer. World Health Organization. IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans. Volume 60. Ethylene Oxide.