Quality of Dietary Supplements Containing Plant-Derived Ingredients Reconsidered by Microbiological Approach

Magdalena Ratajczak, Dorota Kaminska, Agata Światły-Błaszkiewicz and Jan Matysiak
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Magdalena Ratajczak: Chair and Department of Genetics and Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Swiecickiego 4, 60-781 Poznan, Poland
Dorota Kaminska: Chair and Department of Genetics and Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Swiecickiego 4, 60-781 Poznan, Poland
Agata Światły-Błaszkiewicz: Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Grunwaldzka 6, 60-780 Poznan, Poland
Jan Matysiak: Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Grunwaldzka 6, 60-780 Poznan, Poland

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 18, 1-19

Abstract: Dietary supplements cover a wide range of products, the most popular are those containing plant-based ingredients. Supplements are consumed by consumers of all ages as well as by both healthy and sick people. The lack of unified regulation in this sector increases the probability that supplements are poor chemical and microbiological quality and can be dangerous for patients. The aim of this paper is to highlight selected issues associated with the microbiological quality of dietary supplements containing plant materials. We focus on the most recent reports referring to bacterial and fungal contaminations as well as the presence of mycotoxins. Dietary supplements containing plant ingredients commonly show a variety of microbial contaminants, which might be crucial for consumer safety. They often contain microorganisms potentially pathogenic to humans. Metabolites produced by microorganisms may pose a threat to the health of consumers. Because of that, in this review, we emphasize the risk that may be associated with the lack of appropriate studies of the quality of the supplements.

Keywords: dietary supplements; quality; microbiological contamination; safety assessment; mycotoxins; foodomics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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