In a webinar for sellers held on April 17, Amazon also announced that sellers of products in these categories will be required to obtain third-party certification through NSF International, Eurofins, or UL. We confirmed that test data and certificates of analysis will be sent directly from the lab to Amazon. .
“Amazon requires our sales partners to annually verify through a third-party testing, inspection, and certification (TIC) organization that the nutritional supplement products we sell in our stores meet the following standards.” He listed the criteria as follows:
- The product is manufactured in a cGMP compliant facility and
- Products are free of harmful contaminants or contaminants that may raise regulatory concerns.
- The product contains the ingredients listed on the label.
- The product does not contain undeclared APIs (active pharmaceutical ingredients).
The company went on to say that the current list of approved TIC organizations has “demonstrated success in ISO 17065 Food and Dietary Supplement Safety Program certification” and has API testing capabilities.
Seller may collaborate with other ISO 17065 certified laboratories (including in-house laboratories), but does not require NSF, Eurofins, or UL certification so that these three organizations can verify that the data meets their requirements. You must submit this information directly to . As outlined by Amazon’s policy.
“Amazon does not accept documents directly from organizations other than you as a selling partner or the third-party testing, inspection, and certification organizations that Amazon works with,” an Amazon representative said during the webinar. .
A product meets Amazon’s policy requirements if it is already registered with NSF/ANSI 173 certification or NSF 229 certification, which is renewed annually, the representative said.
Problem category…
There has been debate in the industry about which subcategories of products will be subject to the new policy first, with Amazon confirming that it will focus on sexual enhancement, weight management, and sports nutrition/bodybuilding.
These three categories will come as no surprise to most industry observers and observers. The FDA has been closely monitoring these three categories for at least 14 years.
In 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning to consumers that certain male enhancement or weight loss products sold on Amazon and other retailers contain potentially dangerous drug ingredients. Did.
In December 2023, the FDA sent Amazon a warning letter regarding “virility-enhancing supplements or foods” that allegedly contained undeclared sildenafil and tadalafil to enhance male sexual performance.
“Currently, sexual enhancement, weight management, and sports nutrition/bodybuilding dietary supplements have been specifically identified for action as part of this policy,” an Amazon representative said during the webinar. . “We are continuously monitoring regulatory and customer signals and as a result are prioritizing these subcategories of nutraceuticals.
“As we expand these requirements, we will notify affected resellers accordingly.
“These three categories of dietary supplements require testing to ensure that the products do not contain undeclared active pharmaceutical ingredients.”
The company defines sexual enhancement products as “supplements sold to enhance erections, libido, sexual performance, and increase genital size.”
Weight management is defined as “supplements marketed to reduce macronutrient absorption, increase or decrease body fat or weight, and increase metabolism or thermogenesis.”
Additionally, sports nutrition/bodybuilding is defined as: “Lead weight gain, weight lifting, weight training, a supplement sold for the purpose of promoting weight gain and to increase energy before, after, and during muscle building, bodybuilding, and athletics” muscle Muscle mass increases due to strengthening such as repair, recovery, and growth. ”
Strengthen consumer safety
Commenting on the new policy, Timeline Chief Marketing Officer Federico Luna told NutraIngredients-USA: It’s important business. Raising standards of safety and efficacy for dietary supplements requires close collaboration between legitimate manufacturers, third-party laboratories, and retailers like Amazon. ”
“We are optimistic that this new policy will strengthen consumer safety and ensure that only high-quality products reach the market,” Luna added.
As reported by NutraIngredients-USA, Timeline previously questioned the quality of some dietary supplements on Amazon that list urolithin A on the label.
