About Us

About Tap~Root

tap root logo

Tap~Root is a New Jersey-based scientific consulting firm working with ingredient suppliers, manufacturers, retailers, and start-up businesses in the functional food, dietary supplements, and cosmeceutical industries. The company is owned and operated by Risa Schulman, PhD.

The consultants of Tap~Root provide services for health claims substantiation, product development, scientific communications, business strategy and ingredient sourcing for the dietary supplement, functional food and cosmeceutical industries. They also help established corporations enter these markets and provide technical and scientific expertise to companies investing in or consulting with these industries. Tap~Root works with clients around the world, including the US, Europe, Israel, Australia and New Zealand.

Risa Schulman, Ph.D.

Risa Schulman, PhD, is founder and president of Tap~Root, a functional food and dietary supplement expert, professional speaker and writer, and an industry leader with 20 years of experience including at major industry players such as POM Wonderful, Solgar Vitamins and Mars Botanical.

Her particular expertise is in straddling the science-regulatory-marketing axis and bridging these areas for successful product development and launch. She and her team at Tap~Root assist prominent and pioneering food, dietary supplement and cosmeceutical companies, ingredient suppliers and companies entering these spaces both in the US and abroad.  Dr. Schulman also serves as an advisor to investment bankers and on science advisory boards.

Dr. Schulman is an advisor to investors and science advisory boards.  She is a selection committee member of Nutrition Capital Network and an Industry Advisor to Silverwood Partners.  Through this and other client work she assists companies in being investor- and partner-ready and mentors candidate companies to perfect their presentation materials and pitch.  Dr. Schulman has served on the science advisory boards of Plum Organics and DianaPlantSciences and has assembled and chaired a science advisory board for a major pharmaceutical company division.

Dr. Schulman serves as an expert in multiple capacities.  As a very active Council Member and Scholar for Gerson Lehrman Group (GLG), she has been in the top 6% worldwide for guidance provided.  She is the expert in “Ask the Expert” of Ubiquinol.org and Puritans Pride and served as an expert writer and reviewer for the American Botanical Council for two decades.  She is also on the editorial and planning board for New Hope Natural Media and was chosen as one of the “9 Wonder Women of the Natural Industry” by New Hope 360.  Lastly, she is a Visiting Scientist at Rutgers University.

An experienced communicator, Risa has been an invited speaker at multiple industry conferences and webinars.  She is a published author of scientific journal articles and a technical book “Pomegranates: Ancient Roots to Modern Medicine” (co-editor, Taylor & Francis, 2006) and has penned numerous technical and thought leadership articles and blogs in industry publications such as Nutrition Business Journal, New Hope IdeaXchange, Natural Products Insider, R&D Insights and others.

Risa holds a PhD in Plant Biology from Rutgers University, an MES in Environmental Science from Yale University, and a BS in Biology and Environmental Science (double major) from Tufts University.…read more

Tap~Root draws from a highly skilled group of scientists, dieticians and marketers who have specific expertise, education and corporate experience that allow us to create a team focused on your company’s particular needs.

Barbara SchmidtBarbara Schmidt, Ph.D.

We highlight Barbara Schmidt, PhD, who brings a broad range of natural products experience, including expertise in cosmeceuticals and ingredient sourcing. …read more

Tap~Root Consulting Services

Tap~Root can be an essential partner in taking a product from ideation to shelf, providing scientific, regulatory, formulation, marketing and management consulting. Here are just a few of the ways we’re currently helping our clients and providing industry leadership:

  • Claims, labels and messaging expert to established manufacturers, ingredient suppliers and up-and-coming start-ups
  • Close adviser to a department of a large pharmaceutical company entering the industry
  • Strategic partner to several start-ups and biotechs to aid in launch strategy and execution
  • Partner to lawyers and investment bankers for regulatory due diligence and label claims defense
  • Science Advisory Board member for DianaPlantSciences
  • “Ask the Expert” for Ubiquinol.org and Puritans Pride
  • New Hope Natural Media editorial and planning board member
  • Expert writer and reviewer for the American Botanical Council
  • Visiting Research Scientist at Rutgers University.
  • Popular speaker for trade shows, webinars, sales meetings and continuing medical education

Please see our Services page for more about how we help companies.

Want to learn more about Tap~Root? Please peruse the website, BLOG, review some of our past clients, documented case studies, and some of the many testimonials we’re received.

Contact Tap~Root for more information!