NutraCast: Mushrooms from China? Why Nammex says yes

26-Jul-2024 - Last updated on 26-Jul-2024 at 14:16 GMT

China has a rich tradition of growing, cultivating, studying and using mushrooms in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Deep-rooted expertise, historical background and substantial research contribute to a profound comprehension of mushroom chemistry and biology. Despite this, many Americans offer negative views of the country and the ingredients that come from it.

"I don't know if people realize how much of our supply chain is reliant on things from China in the dietary supplements market," said Bill Chioffi, chief operating officer at Nammex. "If you could eliminate all of the things—caps, labels, seals, bottles, the equipment that makes many of the extracts, many of the ingredients, many of the starting raw materials like corn and other commodities that come from or touch the Chinese supply chain, we wouldn't have an industry. We wouldn’t."

So why does Nammex continue its 30-plus year relationship with Chinese growers? “Primarily because of the specialized knowledge and the manufacturing facilities to be able to produce it at an affordable price with an organic certification and then the quality standards in place to be able to be able to grow,” Chioffi said.

He added that everyone should question quality, regardless of an ingredient’s country of origin. “U.S., Canada, South America, China, India…that [question of quality] should be at the forefront, and that's why we encourage all of our clients to validate the certificates of analysis that we provide that check for heavy metals, mold, yeast, contaminants, pesticides.”

To hear more on Nammex’s recent Chinese farm audit and the latest on the Citizen Petition Nammex filed with the FDA, listen to the NutraCast.

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