What is “cGMP” and why does it matter in the supplement industry?

cGMP stands for “Current Good Manufacturing Practices”, which are essentially the rules for how to safely manufacture your products. These rules have been put in place to ensure that manufacturers everywhere are held accountable for their products and therefore keep their customers safe. 

In technical terms, the FDA defines cGMP as “systems that assure proper design, monitoring, and control of manufacturing processes and facilities”. Adherence to these regulations assures the “identity, strength, quality, and purity of drug products by requiring that manufacturers of medications adequately control manufacturing operations.”

However, although many manufacturing facilities follow these guidelines, that does not mean that all manufacturers are created equal. In fact, each manufacturer has the authority to practice these rules as they see fit for their facility. Therefore, it is crucial when you are looking for a manufacturer that you request to see their cGMP certification. Sawgrass Nutra Labs is cGMP certified, but this is different from being cGMP compliant. Check out our blog post to learn more about compliance vs. certification here.

How does FDA know if a company is complying with cGMP regulations?

The FDA inspects supplement manufacturing facilities, and the inspections are standard across the world and conducted by highly trained FDA staff. Luckily, most facilities inspected are found to be fully compliant with the cGMP regulations. Although manufacturing supplements is not the same as manufacturing medications or drugs, maintaining cGMPs is still of utmost importance in the supplement industry. Some manufacturers may cut corners or manufacture with banned ingredients, which could put customers’ health and your brand at risk. Again, it’s always best practice to request your manufacturer’s cGMP certification because this ultimately protects your customers and your business. 

At Sawgrass Nutra Labs, we are proud to be a cGMP certified manufacturer. All of our processes are updated with the most recent and new standards so that you can ensure your products are manufacturers safely and with the highest quality. Contact us today to learn more!