Silver Spring, MD — AHPA (American Herbal Products Association) is adopting label guidance for products/supplements containing fungi in their ingredients. The aim is to lessen labeling and manufacturing issues by providing common names and stages of fungal ingredients. The guidance will be available in two years.

While AHPA develops guidance policies, U.S federal regulations require specific labeling requirements for supplements that contain multicellular fungal ingredients. For the guidance concerning fungal ingredients in particular, the focus is centered on making sure all ingredients are listed including the stages of those ingredients, and where the fungi were extracted from (if applicable).

Each fungal ingredient in a supplement must be identified in the product label’s declaration of nutrition under the Supplement Facts heading. The ingredients must be listed by common name and in order of predominance. The stages of the fungal ingredient must also be present even if the fungal ingredient is an extract.

AHPA president, Michael McGuffin stated, "AHPA appreciates our members' interest in providing consumers with the most useful information about fungi ingredients included in this important product category. This is another example of the herb and supplement industry taking initiative to best serve consumers' needs and interests."

In addition to stating which fungal ingredients are present in supplements, the word “mushroom” may also be included in descriptions, but they must be specifically identified in the products Principal Display Panel (ex. mushroom mycelium, mushroom spore, etc.) This is the means of identifying the parts/stages of the fungal dietary ingredient.

The guidance will be available on March 9, 2019, though marketers may apply the guidance earlier, if they choose.

Posted on WholeFoods Magazine Online, 3/17/17