Tap Root consultants write articles, blogs, and pieces about the science behind the natural products industries, cosmeceutical industry, and supplements industry. The following are some examples of the range of articles.
Natural antiperspirants: dream or reality
By: Philip B Klepak, Barbara M Schmidt PhD
Some products of plant origin have been shown to be effective chemotherapeutic agents demonstrating measurable biological activity without exerting undesirable side effects. This article addresses whether some plants contain sufficient bioactive phytochemicals that could function as ‘natural’ antiperspirants when applied from a topical formulation. read the article PDF
What’s In Your Baby’s Formula? You May Already Know
By: Risa Schulman, PhD, Wellness Advisory Panel member for Plum Organics. The 2-part article series helps to demystify what’s in baby formula.
PART 1 – What’s In Your Baby Formula? 3 Ingredients to Know. Carbohydrates, Fats, and Proteins… in this first part of this 2-part series Risa Schulman, a science consultant for natural products and a member of the Wellness Advisory Panel for Plum Organics looks at the major components of baby food and other ingredients that fuel baby’s amazing healthy growth and development in the first year of life.
PART 2 – What’s In Your Baby Formula? The Micronutrients. In Part II, we look at the micronutrients – all those minerals and vitamins, plus additional components like DHA – that make up the ‘less than 1%’ ingredients you see on the product label.
Natural Products, Cosmeceuticals and Supplements Industry Articles
Washington and the Natural Industry
Author Janet Poveromo, for Nutrition Industry Executive
Partnerships aside, well-tended friendships, education, and vigilant attention from the natural industry make for good relations inside the Beltway. Read the article in Nutrition Industry Executive
The hemp/marijuana revolution: A testing ground for supplements to get it right?
Author Risa Schulman, PhD for the Functional Ingredients Section of New Hope 360 Blog
It’s a big story that’s only getting bigger: the mainstreaming of hemp and marijuana for health purposes. And as with many pioneering (read: pushing the envelope) products, first attempts are a mix of baby steps, out-of-steps, and missteps. As a botanical coming out of its black market status, hemp/marijuana is all over our industry, but its history and regulatory conundrums make it not your ordinary “next new thing.” What can or should the role of the hemp/marijuana saga be in the natural products industry at this stage? Read the article at the New Hope IdeaXchange
Innovation Without a Home: Pharma-grade Science in a Restrictive Regulatory Landscape
Author Risa Schulman, PhD for the Functional Ingredients Section of New Hope 360 Blog
Developing health products requires a unique combination of science and creativity. These days, the number and quality of minds involved in developing health products is greater than ever before. And when great minds get to it, great ideas come alive. I am fortunate to contribute to many of these exciting projects and have had a front-row view of the challenge of turning a vision into a successful dietary supplement. I am not talking about the usual twists and turns of a normal product launch. Our industry presents a unique paradox: innovation that has outgrown the bounds of the regulatory framework. Article PDF from NewHope360.com
Making Your Science Work for You
Author Risa Schulman, PhD for Supply Side R&D Insights
The science behind the industry’s ingredients and products has been rightfully taking center stage in its product development efforts. It’s something to be very proud of, a mark of seriousness in the industry as its products get hotter but also more sophisticated. Yet using the science well is still a formidable task that spans the whole development and launch process. It takes a multifaceted approach involving the science-regulatory-marketing axis along the way to make your science work for you. Let’s look at some of the nuts and bolts that will help you make this happen. Making Your Science Work For You PDF
Polyphenol Promotion
Author Risa Schulman, PhD for Natural Products Insider
Welch’s launched a marketing campaign based on the polyphenols in grape juice. It did an admirable job of making a complex topic understandable and brought in pop food chemist Alton Brown to do the explaining. Unfortunately, it didn’t last long; Alton shifted into speaking about the family-farmer-owned aspect of the product. Was it too early for the polyphenol message to really resonate? Read the article on NaturalProductsInsider.com
The ‘phood’ movement: regulatory risks and innovative rewards
Author Risa Schulman, PhD for New Hope 360 Blog
The pace of the ride in our industry just won’t let up and the latest scenery caught my eye: Recently, a beverage company announced a new functional offering. And the fact that it is also vying to create a new category called “synergy beverages” for certain types of sports enthusiasts and partiers. Article PDF Article on NewHope360.com
Responsible Use of Medicinal Plants for Cosmetics
Author Barbara Schmidt, PhD for Hortscience
Medicinal plant extracts are widely used as active ingredients in cosmetics. Plant material can come from a variety of sources, including commercial production horticulture and wild harvest in developing countries. Efficacy claims should be supported with evidence and cannot state that the product treats medical conditions. In the end, responsibly sourced medicinal plants can bring economic benefits to producers, processors, and marketers. Read the full abstract on http://hortsci.ashspublications.org/.
Evaluation of Botanicals For Human Health
Author Barbara Schmidt, PhD for Hortscience
Botanical preparations have been used medicinally for thousands of years. Many commercially available botanical products are being marketed in the United States with little or no publicly available scientific validation of efficacy or consistency. For botanicals to be reliable for research purposes and consumer products, they must be standardized with sufficient quality controls to ensure consistent composition, safety, and potency. Read the article on http://ajcn.nutrition.org.
A Natural History of Botanical Therapeutics
Author Barbara Schmidt, PhD for Metabolism
Plants have been used as a source of medicine throughout history and continue to serve as the basis for many pharmaceuticals used today. Although the modern pharmaceutical industry was born from botanical medicine, synthetic approaches to drug discovery have become standard. Most botanical therapeutics are derived from medicinal plants that have been cultivated for increased yields of bioactive components. Read the article on ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
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