Standard Process Inc. Whole Food Supplements Since 1929.
Quality Control FAQs
Quality is an integral part of every step in our process.
Where do the bovine organs used in Standard Process supplements come from?
We purchase animal tissues and glands that are inspected by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and state departments of agriculture.
For additional information, click on the following government websites:
What type of binders do you use?
Honey, arabic gum, cellulose gum, and cellulose are used as binders. Calcium stearate, derived from vegetable sources, is used as a lubricant to help the products flow into the tablet machines.
Why do tablets sometimes vary in color, taste, and smell?
Standard Process does not use any type of artificial flavoring in our products. Therefore, slight differences in color, texture, and smell from batch to batch are the result of using freshly grown raw materials.
Are calcium lactate and calcium stearate derived from dairy sources?
No, they are derived from vegetable sources.
What yeasts are used in your products?
The three types of yeast used in some of our products are:
- Nutritional yeast
- High chromium yeast
- High selenium yeast
What are the capsules made of?
Most are made of gelatin, derived from animal sourced collagen. The others are made from vegetarian cellulose. The capsule itself is manufactured to result in a strictly kosher gelatin product.
Can the tablets be chewed?
Yes; however, some products include ingredients that may be harmful to teeth so it would be best to check with your health care professional.
Can the capsule products be taken in the powder form?
Yes; it is not necessary to leave the product in the capsule if you prefer to take the product in the powder form.
What does the Best Used By information mean?
The Best Used By information, located on all product boxes and on the neck of all product bottles, represents the date by which the product is best used by and the product code.
The Best Used By information should not be viewed as an expiration date, but as a guideline for when products are considered 100% potent. The products tend to lose potency over time but may still be considered effective after this date. In this example, the month and year the product is best used by is July 2010.
L-The lot number
7-This is the last number of the year it was produced (8=Year 2008)
1-The batch number
8-The month it was produced (6=June)
What do the product codes mean?
Product code numbers are used to determine when products are produced. In the example above the product code is L816 or June 2008.
What is the shelf life of your products?
The shelf life on most of our products is between 1½ and 2 years. However, this guideline should not be viewed as an "expiration date" since most products tend to only lose potency after this time and should still be considered effective.
Do products have a longer shelf life if they are unopened?
No, the shelf life is the same.
Who regulates the supplement industry?
Unlike what the pharmaceutical industry and some news media would have you believe, the supplement industry is indeed regulated and inspected by various governmental agencies. Standard Process Inc. is regulated and inspected by:
- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- Wisconsin Department of Agriculture (WI-DA)
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
- Midwest Organic Services Association (MOSA)
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
Does Standard Process have third-party GMP certification?
We are not certified by any of the groups, such as Natural Products Association (NPA), NSF International and U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP), that currently offer this service. We do not feel it is necessary to have this type of certification because we are licensed and regulated by the FDA and WI-DA, and inspected at least annually by both.
Standard Process is proud of the quality of its products and its manufacturing processes. We welcome you to come for a tour and see for yourself.
Why is there a caution statement now being placed on some product labels?
As a precaution, Standard Process will be adding the following warning statement to all product labels: This product is processed in a facility that manufactures other products containing soy, dairy, egg, wheat, peanut, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish. Standard Process has also added a similar warning on MediHerb products that are packaged in our facility. This warning is meant for people who may have severe allergies to these foods.
Standard Process follows good manufacturing practices to avoid cross-contamination--practices such as taking apart and cleaning all equipment between production runs. It's just one way we can make our products safer for consumers.