Chapter 2, Problem 1QC

Who do you think should be responsible for ensuring that functional foods and dietary supplements are safe? Would you be willing to accept more regulation if it meant fewer products would be available? Explain your position.

Summary Introduction

To review:

The responsibility to regulate functional and dietary supplements to ensure its safety and acceptance of more regulation to result in fewer products.

Introduction:

The dietary supplements are the additional nutritional supplements taken to improve the health which includes multivitamins, minerals, hormones, amino acids, proteins, and herbal products. The functional foods are called nutraceuticals which are claimed by manufacturers that it helps to replenish or boost energy levels. And, it includes natural foods, fortified foods, and artificial food products.

Explanation of Solution

The food and drug administration (FDA) department of U.S. is responsible to regulate functional foods and dietary supplements. Because it regulates the pharmaceutical drugs used to treat or prevent diseases, so any product related to nutrition and health manufactured by companies may have an impact on the users. The functional food companies claim that it boosts energy levels and dietary supplements are said to improve health and the ingredients used in both the products need to be tested for its safety.

People use these products on their own interest based on the advertisement and labels, which may not provide clear information about the safety of the ingredients. The companies may take advantage and use artificial products if the ingredients are not tested and it may affect the overall well-being of the people as the safety levels of ingredients are not determined. Therefore, it is acceptable to have more regulation as it ensures safety and standard levels for the ingredients.

Conclusion

Thus, it can be concluded that the regulation by FDA is required to ensure safety and when there are fewer products available after more regulation, it means that advantages given to companies are misused for profit.