Controversies1

Berry Controversies

Under the FDA's Microscope:

Goji is Next

Ripe (left) and dried (right) Chinese goji berries ("wolfberries", Lycium barbarum L.)

** [NOTE: for additional background and published literature, see Wikipedia links with this color] **

The Regulatory "Microscopes"

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), European Medicines Agency (EMEA) and Health Canada are the world's most stringent organizations for

applying science to protect public safety about foods with proposed health properties.

[ All plant foods like berries and berry products fall into this category of review,

so, when one comes under the microscope, an example is created for all ]

When one of these regulatory authorities makes a declaration about a food or beverage product, the world listens, especially those in manufacturing, promotion and sales.

In the FDA's Cross-Hairs: The Example of Mangosteen

Mangosteen is a tropical fruit (not a berry) whose juice is made

into a beverage often promoted as a cure-all health drink.

In 2005, one manufacturer had worldwide sales of US$200 million for this one juice product.

Problem:

Not one of the health claims associated with mangosteen juice can be supported by science.

FDA Solution:

Putting the mangosteen drink under a microscope, the FDA places the

burden of proof on the manufacturer by saying (paraphrased):

"If you claim your product has health properties, then prove it is a drug in the same rigorous way all drugs must be examined for safety and specific effectiveness

against any one disease as claimed".

Consequences:

the manufacturer must rewrite all marketing materials to avoid making specific health claims
the manufacturer must engage the sequential scientific process for proving the product's safety and effectiveness, typically requiring more than 10 years of research and tens of millions of dollars in research expenses, including human clinical trials
if penalties are warranted, the mangosteen juice product will be seized by the FDA and prohibited from further sale in the United States, its largest market
for a fascinating look at how the FDA letter and review of such a mangosteen juice product were carried out, click here

Goji Under the Microscope in Europe

For any plant food to be marketed in Europe, EMEA food safety authorities require at least 10 years of public use with no safety concerns. If that history does not exist, then a plant food would be declared "novel" and its label and marketing statements for consumers would have to be approved as scientifically accurate.

Problem:

Goji berry products are often associated with non-factual myths and unscientific

fabrications created to tempt and mislead consumers to stimulate sales.

See how the Wikipedia article addresses misleading statements about the goji berry by clicking here.

EMEA Solution:

Up to March 23, 2007, if there is no proof of long-term use of goji berries

in the European food supply, manufacturers and marketers of goji berry products will be required to furnish scientific evidence for any health claims

made on labels and marketing materials.

See the announcement by clicking here and the Wikipedia discussion at this click.

Investigative Reporting in Canada:

Goji Takes a Hit

For 35 years, the CBC TV News program, Marketplace, has been "designed to inform and protect the harrassed Canadian consumer in this age of spiralling prices, questionable sales practices and insidious small print on iron-clad contracts."

In a January 2007 broadcast, Marketplace investigated the world's largest-selling

goji juice product and its fraudulent health claims, reported here in a video clip

and on Wikipedia.

What does this mean for goji berry

and other berry products ?

the FDA is watching: claims about health benefits are coming under consumer, regulatory and scientific scrutiny
manufacturers and marketers will have to be factual in the future [Note: no berry or any one fruit has been proved to furnish specific human health benefits]
some products will fail, as it will be impossible to recover consumer confidence after years of fraud
nutrition labels will contain more scientific facts to educate consumers
the industry for making consumer products from specific berries or other fruits will rely more on science to market the products

and for consumers and the goji berry...? This process is beneficial, as the berry will likely become a subject for more extensive scientific studies, described factually with the truth, and better known to the public

Where does the Berry Doctor's Journal stand?

The goji berry ("wolfberry"), often addressed in reports from the Berry Doctor's Journal due to its exceptional nutrient qualities and antioxidant strength (list of essays below), is a bellwether for how exotic berries and future novel berry products will be processed and marketed.