Quality Control &

Assurance with

Nature's Sunshine Products

As a company, Nature’s Sunshine Products takes enormous pride in the quality of the products tjey offer. Indeed, quality is the first part of the Nature’s Sunshine creed "Quality, Service, and Integrity." In order to produce high-quality products, Nature's Sunshine starts with the finest raw materials available.

1) Microbiological Testing

Bacteria testing

By testing for and counting the bacteria on machinery, equipment, and personnel in the production area, we can evaluate the standard hygiene level and the efficiency of our cleaning procedures. By checking the bacteria counts in the production areas we ensure that our products will not become contaminated in the manufacturing plant.

Nature’s Sunshine utilizes two different methods to test for bacteria: swabbing methods and a device called a bactometer, which uses advanced computer technology to test for the presence of bacteria in raw materials, liquids, and finished products.

Total Bacteria testing

To determine the number of microbes, which might be contaminating a product, we take a total plate count. We test a sample of raw material or finished product and determine the amount of aerobic microbe contamination in the sample. We then compare this count to our stringent allowable spec levels. If any raw material counts are higher than allowable levels, the batch is rejected and returned to the vendor. Finished products are also audited to ensure they meet Nature’s Sunshine quality specifications.

Mold and Yeast testing

We regularly perform yeast and mold counts by using a count plate. A count plate is a specialized dish which contains the elements a mold or yeast would need to sustain life if it were present, and a dye which helps these organisms appear visible.

E. coli testing

The dangers of Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria are well known. Present in large enough quantities, these bacteria can be fatal. Nature’s Sunshine tests raw materials for the presence of E. coli using specially designed E. coli count plates, which contain an indicator that turns the bacteria blue if present. This allows for visual identification of the bacteria and, of course, rejection of that particular batch of raw material.

Salmonella testing

Salmonella bacteria are responsible for many food poisoning cases. Nature’s Sunshine tests for salmonella bacteria in herb raw materials and products using what is called a 1-2 test. This test allows us to obtain results much more quickly than standard culture methods.

2) Herb and Purity Testing

Organoleptic ID testing

This is usually the first step in the identification of herb samples coming into the Quality Assurance testing area. This analysis includes testing with the senses, i.e. checking the taste, odor, color, and appearance of the raw herb material.

Microscopy

A microscopic evaluation is performed on incoming herb samples to validate exactly which plant parts the sample contains (roots, leaves, fruit, bark), and to look for any foreign matter such as insect parts. This test involves the preparation of a slide of each herb powder to be tested. By analyzing the cell structure of the sample under the microscope, we can confirm the plant species, cell type (part of plant), and see possible contamination.

Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC)

TLC is a reliable analytical technique that allows us to identify herbs and measure their quality. Different components of an herb extract are separated from each other using adsorption and capillary action. These components are spotted onto a plate, and the intensity of the spots represents the concentration of each component in the extract. Trained personnel can identify the components by colour. Colourless substances are identified by using a special detecting spray or ultraviolet light.

The TLC test allows us to "fingerprint" the herb sample and compare it to a library of known standards. Used in combination with the FTIR test, we can be assured that the key components in a particular herb are present in the sample. Nature’s Sunshine occasionally uses TLC to do comparison testing. We test Nature’s Sunshine products against similar products made by competitors to ensure that the Nature’s Sunshine products’ potency and purity are greater than that of our competitors’.

Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR)

Its official name is Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. The FTIR herb test validates the authenticity and purity of an herb sample. A beam of infrared light is passed through a sample of the herb. As the beam shines on the sample, the sample absorbs energy from the beam at certain frequencies. If we chart the frequencies at which the sample absorbs energy, we get the "absorption spectrum" of the herb. No two herbs have the exact same absorption spectrum, so by comparing these charts to existing charts, we can positively identify the herb.

This test is critical because some herbs look, smell, and taste exactly alike, but one may cost 25 times more than another. Without FTIR testing, suppliers may be tempted to dilute the more expensive herb material with inexpensive "fillers." For example, golden seal plants have been over-harvested in recent years. And as a result, the supply is limited and the raw herb is very expensive. Some suppliers may be tempted to dilute their golden seal with other herbs, which have similar chemical composition. The FTIR test makes it impossible for suppliers to get away with this.

This test also measures the level of the key components in herb samples so we can maintain consistent levels of potency from one batch of product to the next.

High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)

This extremely sensitive, computerized tool allows us to analyze the ingredients in a mixture. We place a dissolved sample of a mixture in the autosampler unit and pump it through the analytical column. The mixture separates into different vitamin (or herb) components, and the highly-sensitive detector measures the amount of each component in the mixture down to parts per million. By analyzing printed HPLC plots, we can verify proper ingredient ratios in a given mixture.

We also use HPLC to examine the purity and potency of raw materials. For example, we use liquid chromatography to measure the parthenolide content in Feverfew and the ephedra content in Chinese Ephedra.

3) Foreign Materials Testing

Ash testing

We burn a small sample of herb material in a special microwave furnace for one hour at 700?C. This burns away all of the organic (plant) matter. Any ash that remains after the burn is mineral content or dirt, and this is weighed.

Acid Insoluble testing

The inorganic ash left after ash testing is treated with hydrochloric acid and burned again. Any remaining ash is called acid-insoluble ash (AIA). A high AIA value may indicate that the herb sample is contaminated with metal particles.

Gamma Counter

Some raw materials that come from eastern Europe may be contaminated with radiation from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster. The Gamma Counter will show us if the materials are contaminated and will help us keep our products free from radiation.

Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS)

By using Gas Chromatography, we can separate complex mixtures of compounds into individual components. A sample of a mixture is placed in the GC machine where it is heated and becomes a gas. As this gas travels through a tube in the machine, the individual elements in the mixture separate out and attach to a special coating in the tube. These separated elements enter a detection unit called a Mass Spectrometer, which graphs the individual elements and allows us to identify the compound.

By examining these graphs we can look for unwanted elements such as pesticides. This use of leading technology gives Nature’s Sunshine Products the quality advantage in ensuring the quality and purity of our natural health products.

4) Other Testing

Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectrometer (ICP)

The ICP has a flame that burns at 8727?C. We dissolve a sample of raw material or finished product in acid and then spray the solution into the middle of the flame. Inside the flame the different elements glow with their own unique colours. For example, calcium will glow with a different colour than potassium. A highly sensitive meter graphs the brightness of each mineral in the flame, and the graph tells us how much of each mineral is present in the sample down to parts per million. If there are any unwanted elements in a test of raw material, the shipment is rejected.

This testing device screens raw mineral samples for unwanted elements like arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury. The ICP is also used to test finished products like Super Supplemental and Mega-Chel? to ensure the mineral content in these products meets label claims.

Nature’s Sunshine’s Most Important Quality Assurance Tests

Nature’s Sunshine meticulously tests all of the raw materials we receive. Our quality assurance testing continues throughout the entire production process. In all, we use over 150 tests and procedures to ensure the quality of the raw materials we use and finished products we sell. The following list represents a few of the most important tests we conduct.

Every test we conduct leads to better product quality, and excellence in product quality is what has put our products where they are today . . . at the top of the industry. You can be assured that with each new product we develop and manufacture, our commitment to excellence will continue.