SierraSil and Product Testing
In Canada, consumers are fortunate to have the option of choosing from a wide array of natural health products / supplements as part of their health and wellness regime. With such a great number of different products available to choose from, it can be overwhelming for a consumer to narrow down what really is of benefit to them in terms of product’s efficacy, safety and quality.
Standing in front of a store shelf, do we sometimes scratch our heads and ask, what really goes into the making of this product? Will it do what it says it does and will be really benefit my health?
We know that all natural health products sold in Canada are subject to the same set of standards - Natural Health Products Regulations, which came into force on January 1, 2004. It’s been more than a decade now since the law came into force, and we have seen the growth of this industry in terms of the variety of products available and the innovation on formulas and packaging. However, there is one big element that’s often under-appreciated as it takes place behind the scenes, and that is product quality and the rigid quality and regulatory system that some companies choose to put their products through, before they are made available for sale on the Canadian market.
So what sets these companies apart from the others?
SierraSil Health Inc. prides ourselves as one of those companies that value product quality. As a product licence holder, Health Canada expects SierraSil Health Inc. to be responsible for its product quality and SierraSil Health Inc. takes that responsibility seriously, by first qualifying our contract manufacturer using the Good Manufacturing Practices standards found in the Natural Health Products Regulations, and setting up finished product specifications according to our product licence as well as Health Canada’s quality guidance, and once the lot is produced by the manufacturer, we keep the product “ON HOLD”, making sure it’s not available to be sold, while the product undergoes a number of rigorous product quality testing. Once all the test results are available, our Quality Assurance team reviews the results and gives clearance to move it into inventory.
What tests are carried out by SierraSil Health Inc. on all our products?
Each product that SierraSil Health Inc. sells starts off with testing the individual ingredients that go into the product before the product is made. Testing is also carried out once the finished product has been made. SierraSil Health Inc. has its own set of finished product specifications. Using Joint Formula 14 as an example, tests include identification, purity, quantity and performance parameters including capsule appearance, weight, weight variation, disintegration, microbial contaminants and heavy metals. Each of these tests must meet the stringent parameters established, which are based on global standards such as the United States Pharmacopoeia or the Health Canada mandated testing parameters. As Joint Formula 14 is a gluten free product and is certified for athletes, we also have included gluten testing, the limit of which is in line with Health Canada’s position on “gluten free” claims and sports supplement certification monitoring testing (administered by Informed Choice, whose logo we proudly bear on our Joint Formula 14 bottles). It’s worth noting that these tests are done by accredited third party laboratories independent of SierraSil Health Inc. and our manufacturers to add in the objective reassurance that the product is indeed passing the test!
When and only when all the test results come back within the specific parameters for the above tests, SierraSil Quality Assurance group will allow the finished product to be released into inventory. That’s why customers who pick up that bottle of SierraSil Joint Formula 14 can buy the product confidently trusting that the many steps of control have taken place before the product reaches the store shelf.
SierraSil Health Inc. takes pride in making quality products that are safe and effective for our consumers who want to feel empowered, regardless of their age, to lead a natural, healthy and more active lifestyle!