The company says recent publications have cast doubt on the reliability and authenticity of botanical ingredients used in supplements and the need for premium plant-based ingredients in terms of efficacy and quality is of paramount importance.
Beauty from within supplements can be used to improve the quality of the hair, skin or nails for example and Naturex says adulteration is a constant challenge for the supplement sector.
“Not all ingredient manufacturers are ready to roll up their sleeves and go down to the field to meet with farmers,” says Serge Sabrier, president of the sustainability committee at Naturex.
“We believe that providing the right ingredient starts by selecting a reliable partner who watches carefully over the raw material and respects the environment,” he adds.
Get close to your partners
In an effort to create a full traceability system from field to extract; Naturex says it is working on getting closer to its partners by implementing eight global purchasing offices so that it can assess and audit its suppliers on a regular basis.
The offices will ensure that from raw materials to finished products that are ready to dispatch, ingredients will undergo a series of tests and analyses at key phases of the production process.
“These hubs allow our agronomists to exchange with local people about their good agricultural and collection practices (GACP) and to share technical advice to achieve the best yields,” Sabrier explains.
Botanical business
Naturex expanded its portfolio to include botanical oils to meet growing trends last year.
Despite already being well-established with the likes of cranberry and apricot oils, the ingredient supplier made the move to push beyond its current boundaries of innovation with a ‘NAT oleis’ range which is comprised of 13 botanical oils sourced from the likes of the Amazon, Brazil and Africa.
It includes Buriti oil, Sacha Inchi, Ungurahui, and Chia oil as well as the more commonly known Baobab and Argan oils, some which have been used for centuries to protect or repair the skin and others being more beneficial for the hair.
The company has built a reputation for botanical identification and plant science with the likes of its exclusive method for distinguishing between Asian and US black cohosh rhizomes.