The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) is developing an assessment program for its recently adopted Guidance on Good Agricultural and Collection Practices and Good Manufacturing Practices for Botanical Materials document. This will serve as a template that growers, harvesters, and processors can adapt to their operations and is designed for small and large producers. The guidance and assessment program will help the industry ensure that herbal raw materials used in consumer products are accurately identified, not tainted with contaminants that may present a health risk, and fully conform to all quality characteristics as stated. "By establishing standard operating procedures that follow these best practices, firms at every level in the supply chain will better ensure the production of good quality herbal raw materials," said AHPA president Michael McGuffin. "Every effort was made to identify current practices that might affect the quality and cleanliness of herbal ingredients."
Their report is intended to complement the empirical knowledge that has been passed down from preceding generations involved in the cultivation, wild collection, and processing of useful plants. The document is an update to and extension of a similar document initially issued jointly in 2006 by AHPA and the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia. The updated document represents minor revisions to the established good agricultural and collection practices portion, with the addition of the relevant portions of the U.S. good manufacturing practices (GMPs) applicable to botanical crops used in food and dietary supplements. The AHPA encourages feedback on the guidance document, especially by growers, collectors, and processors who use the guidance in their facilities and operations.
Download AHPA’s Guidance on Good Agricultural and Collection Practices and Good Manufacturing Practices for Botanical Materials here.