The Future Nutra Foundation (FNF) has announced the formal launch of a new independent nonprofit created to strengthen the natural products industry by releasing free, publicly accessible testing of dietary supplements against their label claims.
According to a statement released by the organisation, the first completed testing category was electrolyte products, with results now available to brands, retailers, healthcare practitioners and consumers.
In its announcement, the Future Nutra Foundation said it was dedicated to "improving public health and safety by providing independent, off‑the‑shelf product testing, educational outreach and scientific research on nutraceutical ingredients."
As a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a dedicated Scientific Advisory Board, FNF will provide free access to test results and educational materials, promoting transparency, education and consumer protection.
The Foundation hopes to be a positive influence in the natural products sector by collaboratively raising quality standards and building trust.
"The Natural Products Industry is a thriving $250bn industry, now eclipsing the OTC category in revenue in the United States," said Joey Savage, President, Future Nutra Foundation.
FNF aims to empower consumers with transparent results, advocate for evidence-based industry standards and collaborate with researchers and policymakers to ensure universal access to safe, effective products.
First testing results released for the electrolyte category
FNF's first major initiative involved independent, third-party laboratory testing of popular electrolyte products purchased off the shelf to assess label accuracy.
The results, now available on the Foundation's website, offer a side-by-side comparison of quality, highlighting products that meet their stated levels of key minerals such as sodium, potassium and magnesium and those that don't.
This electrolyte report serves as an educational resource for formulators, quality assurance teams and retailers, identifying areas of strong performance and highlighting opportunities for improvement in manufacturing and labelling practices.
"Our first round of testing, the Electrolyte category, yielded encouraging results," said Matt Harrier, Executive Director, Future Nutra Foundation.
"We tested 15 electrolyte brands by independently buying products either through Amazon or directly from the manufacturer to reflect what consumers would receive in the marketplace and then submitting [them] to two independent ISO 17025-accredited laboratories to be tested in triplicate."
"Samples were not blinded; however, laboratories did not communicate results prior to issuance of final reports and all data were transmitted directly in formal laboratory documentation."
The majority of the brands met label claim and those out of compliance were contacted for improvement purposes.
The FNF offers all test results online for free, allowing consumers, healthcare professionals and industry stakeholders to access detailed findings without subscriptions or paywalls.
This includes the latest electrolyte report and upcoming tests for Δ⁹‑THC beverages and Lion's Mane mushroom products, along with clear pass/fail outcomes for label compliance.
By providing open, independently generated data, the Foundation says it will help responsible brands stand out and give consumers tools to choose quality products.
Advancing best practices and future categories
The Future Nutra Foundation focuses on developing evidence-based best practices for formulation, quality control and labelling by combining lab data with educational content and scientific research.
It added that it will aim to expand its testing programme to include more supplement and functional product categories, showcasing what "good" looks like and promoting proactive improvements.
To support this work, the Foundation seeks collaboration from brands, retailers, trade associations and practitioners, as well as tax-deductible donations.