Certified Method Enhances Global Botanical Quality and Safety
BENGALURU, India, June 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Herbalife Ltd. (NYSE: HLF), a premier health and wellness company, community and platform, today announced the Association of Official Analytical Collaboration (AOAC INTERNATIONAL)—a global authority in analytical science—has formally certified its proprietary method for identifying and measuring anthraquinones, also known as aloins, in aloe vera. Aloe regulatory groups require producers of ingestible aloe vera products to monitor naturally occurring compounds such as aloin A, aloin B, and aloe-emodin to meet safety guidelines. This certification officially recognizes Herbalife’s longstanding method as the world’s first AOAC-approved approach for detecting aloins—reinforcing safety and quality benchmarks across botanical and dietary supplement industries.
Developed by Herbalife scientists and validated by independent laboratories worldwide, this AOAC-certified method is used to test every batch of Herbalife’s aloe-based products, ensuring safety, while preserving aloe vera’s natural benefits. Aloe vera is a key ingredient in many of Herbalife’s top products, which are sold in more than 90 markets.
“This AOAC validation is an important milestone for Herbalife and the industry as a whole,” said Gary Swanson, SVP of Global Quality at Herbalife and lead author of the study. “We are proud to lead scientific innovation that enhances botanical ingredient safety, benefitting not only Herbalife products and our customers, but also advancing standards across the industry.”
Herbalife’s method was validated through a global multi-laboratory study involving eight independent laboratories. Each lab tested the same set of six aloe vera samples, including both raw materials and finished products, using HPLC (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography) to measure aloin A, aloin B, and aloe-emodin. The study ensured the method’s accuracy and reliability across various labs and product types, with results confirming that it met all performance criteria, including precision and system suitability.
“This multi-laboratory validation study supported approval of an analytical method developed by Herbalife scientists as the AOAC 2016.09 Official Final Action Method,” said Dr. Katerina Mastovska, deputy executive director and chief science officer, AOAC INTERNATIONAL. “AOAC official methods undergo rigorous scientific evaluation and are highly credible and globally accepted. As such, this method will help strengthen botanical quality and safety standards worldwide.”
Herbalife has a long-standing commitment to aloe vera research and quality assurance. This dedication has resulted in five patents and three published studies focused on developing safe extraction methods that preserve the plant’s natural benefits. While many companies rely solely on supplier certifications to confirm the authenticity of their aloe vera, Herbalife goes further. The company is one of the few in the world using advanced proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometry—an analytical technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to identify the molecular structure of raw materials. This allows Herbalife to independently verify the identity and purity of its aloe vera at the molecular level, ensuring the highest standards of quality, consistency and traceability across its global supply chain.
For 45 years, Herbalife has upheld a global commitment to quality through its rigorous Seed to Feed process. This comprehensive system ensures that every ingredient—from responsibly sourced crops cultivated by dedicated farmers to the finished product—meets stringent standards for identity, potency, safety, and purity. Herbalife performs internal testing in ISO 17025-accredited laboratories, verifying that ingredients comply with both company standards and government regulations. The company’s science-backed approach, grounded in Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and NSF International standards, delivers consistent, transparent products in more than 90 markets. Supported by a global team of scientists and quality experts, this process strengthens consumer trust and continues to advance industry standards worldwide.
Herbalife’s aloe vera testing method has been published in Journal of AOAC INTERNATIONAL (Volume 108, Issue 3, Pages 449-471).
