NutraIngredients | October 19, 2026

FDA finalized guidance on the identity and safety evidence companies must submit before marketing a new dietary ingredient under DSHEA. The document favors flexible, case-by-case review and accepts in vitro and computational methods, though it still suggests about 25 years of documented use for history-of-use claims. Industry groups welcomed the flexibility but criticized the 25-year benchmark, and FDA has yet to finalize sections on when a notification is required.

NutraIngredients | October 20, 2026

FDA’s Office of Dietary Supplement Programs director said the agency is reviewing how it reads the statutory definition of a “dietary substance,” a shift that could determine market access for novel ingredients. She signaled a separate draft guidance may follow and welcomed trade efforts to compile a list of pre-DSHEA ingredients. The agency also prefers that new supplement ingredients enter the Dietary Supplement Program rather than the GRAS pathway.

NutraIngredients | October 16, 2026

FDA officials told a webinar audience that the proposed mandatory GRAS notification rule would give regulators better insight into substances entering the food supply. The proposal would replace the voluntary system and includes a streamlined one-year pathway for ingredients already on the market. Comments are due December 9, 2026, and industry is expected to question FDA’s legal authority and resources.

ABC News (AP) | October 15, 2026

HHS sent an interim access policy to the White House that would let specialty pharmacies temporarily compound certain peptides such as BPC-157 under enforcement discretion. FDA staff scientists have said the substances have not been studied enough to establish safety and effectiveness. The debate over where peptides belong, as drugs or as supplement ingredients, directly tests the boundaries of the DSHEA framework.

NutraIngredients | October 14, 2026

A federal court in Massachusetts issued a temporary restraining order against a network of sites imitating Timeline’s official website to sell fake Mitopure urolithin A products. The order freezes the domains and linked payment and marketplace accounts. The case highlights how counterfeit and look-alike sellers undermine consumer trust in legitimate dietary supplements.

Nutraceuticals World | October 19, 2026

Consumer Reports found that more than two-thirds of 23 tested protein powders exceeded its own lead threshold, while FDA’s interim reference level for women of childbearing age is nearly 18 times higher. FDA has never set a specific lead limit for protein powder, and the Council for Responsible Nutrition argues the Consumer Reports benchmark overstates risk. A California bill requiring heavy-metal testing and disclosure is still in committee.

SupplySide Supplement Journal | October 14, 2026

An industry scientist argues that ashwagandha’s regulatory troubles in India and the Netherlands stem from inconsistent testing and labeling, not a lack of safety evidence. The piece points to existing USP and AOAC methods as a path to reproducible standards. The debate offers a preview of the quality and identity questions US regulators may raise for popular botanicals.

NutraIngredients | October 19, 2026

Gryphon Investors-backed Vivify Specialty Ingredients has acquired AuNutra Industries, a supplier of plant-based extracts and specialty nutrition ingredients. The deal adds North American distribution and technical support to Vivify’s portfolio. Continued consolidation among ingredient suppliers shapes who carries the compliance burden as FDA tightens NDI and GRAS expectations.

Your Voice Matters

FDA is accepting public comment on its newly finalized NDI identity and safety guidance, and comments on the proposed mandatory GRAS notification rule are due December 9, 2026. Supplement consumers and businesses can help shape how DSHEA is applied.