PubHawk
BMC Med October 2013 PMID 24120035

DNA barcoding detects contamination and substitution in North American herbal products.

Steven G Newmaster, Meghan Grguric, Dhivya Shanmughanandhan, Sathishkumar Ramalingam, Subramanyam Ragupathy

Full text PDF Download social card

Mentions

282
Peak: 2 in Aug 2020
across 6 sources since Jul 2019

Extended reach

61,265
potential audience

Total likes

45

Video views

608

Mentions per month

Jul 2019 – Jul 2024

Where it's discussed

  • Facebook131 posts
  • News106 articles
  • Blogs29 articles
  • X / Twitter10 posts
  • Reddit4 posts
  • YouTube2 videos

AI synopsis

What people are saying

Discussions reflect a strong consensus on the seriousness of herbal product contamination, with posts citing examples like unlisted fillers and harmful adulterants, and emphasizing the need for stricter regulation, using words like 'threat,' 'risk,' and 'protect consumers' to underscore the importance of the issue.

AgreementModerate agreement

Most posts acknowledge the importance of the study, with some explicitly supporting its findings about contamination and substitution issues.

InterestHigh interest

The discussions show high interest, referencing regulatory gaps, health risks, and specific examples of contaminated products.

EngagementModerate engagement

Posts demonstrate moderate engagement by discussing implications, citing sources like Dr. Michael Greger and WHO, and sharing personal opinions on regulation and safety.

ImpactHigh impact

The collective discourse emphasizes the significant health and regulatory implications of the findings, suggesting a need for improved testing and oversight.

Abstract in brief

  • DNA barcoding revealed that many herbal products in North America are contaminated or substituted with different plant species not listed on the label, posing potential health risks.
  • The study successfully identified 95% of herbal samples and found that almost half of the products contained unlisted plant ingredients, with some containing harmful contaminants or fillers.
  • Overall, the research highlights issues of poor-quality herbal products due to contamination and substitution, calling for industry improvements to ensure product authenticity and consumer safety.
Read the full abstract

Top posts

Most liked on X and Bluesky
Examine.com
@Examinecom · X

Aug 12, 2020 · 6 likes · 2 shares · 30,485 followers View post →
Brittany
@BattlingBeaver · X

@mmbrendan @GidMK Canada may have some strict food regs, but we completely drop the ball on contaminants & testing for pure supplements (because they're not *food* with supplements). The majority of samples used in this Can-led NA study were from the GTA: https://t.co/Pe1cGd9PYY

Aug 20, 2023 · 4 likes · 478 followers View post →
Blima Marcus DNP, MPH
@MarcusBlimi · X

@edinburghlurker @jfdwolff Not sawdust per se but fillers. https://t.co/7yebadoflO https://t.co/zn09PEjKxH

Mar 4, 2021 · 2 likes · 7,487 followers View post →
Brittany Ⓥ
@brittanyshiv10 · X

@PointyConeHead I got the info from Dr. Michael Greger’s book “How Not to Diet”. He links these https://t.co/J6SiMgWrHW. https://t.co/afb9wtJ8b3. https://t.co/Rr6pMSLsbN

Oct 28, 2020 · 2 likes · 1,740 followers View post →
Debunking Denialism
@debunkdenialism · X

@thomaspublius Sadly, the majority of tested herbal products either contained other stuff not listed on the label or did not contain that which was listed on the label. https://t.co/8JdkJoGdPz

May 5, 2023 · 1 like · 5,456 followers View post →
Fernando Gomollón
@fgomollon · X

RT @DanSharpIBD: In addition, lack of regulation presents risks that can't be easily quantified. Most supplements don't contain what's adve…

Jul 12, 2019 · 1 share · 8,613 followers View post →

All mentions

Chris Hendel
@chrishendel · X

Whoa. I definitely recall this study and all of the discussions after it was published years ago. Retraction Note: DNA barcoding detects contamination and substitution in North American herbal products https://t.co/XOZaypek80 https://t.co/EI6B5fBYmw

Jul 9, 2024 · 4,262 followers View post →
Brittany
@BattlingBeaver · X

@mmbrendan @GidMK Canada may have some strict food regs, but we completely drop the ball on contaminants & testing for pure supplements (because they're not *food* with supplements). The majority of samples used in this Can-led NA study were from the GTA: https://t.co/Pe1cGd9PYY

Aug 20, 2023 · 4 likes · 478 followers View post →
Debunking Denialism
@debunkdenialism · X

@thomaspublius Sadly, the majority of tested herbal products either contained other stuff not listed on the label or did not contain that which was listed on the label. https://t.co/8JdkJoGdPz

May 5, 2023 · 1 like · 5,456 followers View post →
Sandra Baxendell
@goatvet · X

Australian vet medicines manufacturers are regulated & inspected by the APVMA . Don't import products for your goats https://t.co/vScRIvRk1x

Jul 6, 2021 · 671 followers View post →
Food Forensics
@food_forensics · X

https://t.co/qD398hN94t According to the @WHO, the adulteration of herbal products is a threat to consumer safety. Our research aimed to investigate herbal product integrity with the goal of protecting consumers from health risks associated with product contamination.

Apr 12, 2021 · 752 followers View post →
Blima Marcus DNP, MPH
@MarcusBlimi · X

@edinburghlurker @jfdwolff Not sawdust per se but fillers. https://t.co/7yebadoflO https://t.co/zn09PEjKxH

Mar 4, 2021 · 2 likes · 7,487 followers View post →
Brittany Ⓥ
@brittanyshiv10 · X

@PointyConeHead I got the info from Dr. Michael Greger’s book “How Not to Diet”. He links these https://t.co/J6SiMgWrHW. https://t.co/afb9wtJ8b3. https://t.co/Rr6pMSLsbN

Oct 28, 2020 · 2 likes · 1,740 followers View post →
omar
@theomizzer · X

RT @Examinecom:

Aug 12, 2020 · 2 shares · 704 followers View post →
Examine.com
@Examinecom · X

Aug 12, 2020 · 6 likes · 2 shares · 30,485 followers View post →
Fernando Gomollón
@fgomollon · X

RT @DanSharpIBD: In addition, lack of regulation presents risks that can't be easily quantified. Most supplements don't contain what's adve…

Jul 12, 2019 · 1 share · 8,613 followers View post →