Dietary Supplement Analytical Methods and Reference Materials Program (AMRM)

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Analytical Methods for Dietary Supplements

scientist examining herb leavesAnalytical methods program area focuses on the development and validation of analytical methods that can be used to verify dietary ingredient and label content claims, as tools to meet dietary supplement current good manufacturing practice requirements, and to determine the amounts of constituents of dietary supplements. Current method development efforts favor methods for analytes with high potential public health significance.

Method development

  • The AMRM Program aims to promote analytical method development in prioritized areas to address current knowledge gaps.  Funded projects have focused on the development of non-targeted methods for botanical classification and authentication, and targeted methods to identify and quantify adulterants, natural toxins, pesticides and toxic elements.

Method validation

  • From 2013 to 2018 community-driven method validation activities were coordinated by AOAC International through a panel funded through a contract from ODS. Information about the AOAC Stakeholder Panel on Dietary Supplements, including the resulting analytical method publications, is available on the AOAC website.external link disclaimer
  • AOAC International has published guidelines for performing a single laboratory validation study for quantitive chemical methods for dietary supplements and guidelines for the validation of methods to identify botanical dietary supplements in the 2013 edition of the AOAC Official Methods of Analysis, Appendix K:  Guidelines for Dietary Supplements and Botanicalsexternal link disclaimer.
  • NIH Administrative Supplement funding awards for single laboratory validation of quantitative analytical methods: In an attempt to leverage basic biomedical research already supported by NIH and to capture and validate new methods when first developed, AMRM makes available competitive administrative supplement funding to certain active NIH awards via PA 20-252.

AMRM Supported AOAC International methods of analysis for dietary ingredients and supplements

AOAC guidelines for dietary supplement and botanical method validationexternal link disclaimer

  1. Method Type
    Analyte(s) in raw materials, dietary ingredients, and supplements
    OMA [1]
    SMPR [2]
  2. Quantitative
    Ephedra alkaloids
    N/A
  3. Quantitative
    Glucosamine
    N/A
  4. Quantitative
    β-carotene
    N/A
  5. Quantitative
    flavonol aglycones from Ginkgo biloba
    N/A
  6. Quantitative
    Campesterol, stigmasterol, and β-sitosterol from Serenoa repens (saw palmetto)
    N/A
  7. Quantitative
    Aristolochic acid
    N/A
  8. Quantitative
    Aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 and ochratoxin A in ginseng and ginger
    N/A
  9. Quantitative
    Total soy isoflavones
    N/A
  10. Quantitative
    Hydrastine and berberine from Hydrastis canadensis (goldenseal)
    N/A
  11. Quantitative
    Coenzyme Q10
    N/A
  12. Quantitative
    Aconitum alkaloids
    N/A
  13. Quantitative
    Lycopene
    N/A
  14. Quantitative
    Total chondroitin sulfate
    2014.009
  15. Identification
    Phosphodiesterase Type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors
    2014.010
  16. Quantitative
    Withanolides from Withania somnifera (ashwagandha)
    2015.007
  17. Quantitative
    Aloin A, aloin B, and aloe-emodin
    2015.015
  18. Quantitative
    Theanine from Camellia sinensis (tea)
    2015.014
  19. Quantitative
    Curcuminoids from Curcuma longa (turmeric)
    2016.003
  20. Identification
    Protein from milk
    2017.12
    2016.015
  21. Identification
    Protein from pea, rice, and soy
    2016.016
  22. Quantitative
    Mitragynine, 7-hydroxymitragynine, alkaloids from Mitragyna speciosa (kratom)
    2015.008
  23. Quantitative
    Gingerols and shogaols from Zingiber officinales (ginger)
    2017.012
  24. Quantitative
    Total Phenolic content
    2015.009
  25. Quantitative
    Phenolic compounds from Echinacea
    2017.015
  26. Quantitative
    Ginsenosides in Panax ginseng and Panax quinquefolius
    2017.014
  27. Quantitative
    Aloe vera polysaccharides
    2017.009
  28. Quantitative
    A Type Proanthocynaidins from cranberry
    N/A
  29. Quantitative
    Select kavalactones and flavokavains in kava
    -
    2018.005
  30. Quantitative
    Vitamin B12
    -
    2016.017

[1] AOAC International Official Method of Analysis: https://www.aoac.org/scientific-solutions/standards-and-official-methods/external link disclaimer

[2] AOAC International Standard Method Performance Requirements: https://www.eoma.aoac.org/app_f.pdfexternal link disclaimer