Ever wonder who is largely responsible for make sure those vitamins and dietary supplements you take are safe and effective? In the multi billion dollar health products industry, one testing laboratory stands out as a leader in the health and nutrition products testing field. Known as Consumerlab.com, this independent testing laboratory tests and certifies a multitude of fitness and wellness products; many of which a large number of people take on a daily basis.
As an independent certification company, Consumerlab.com, usually known by their ‘CL’ initials, is used annually by a large number of dietary and healthcare products company to have their products tested and clinically certified before being marketed to the general public. In fact, this laboratory has tested and certified more than 1,800 products, representing mores than 350 brands, in the past seven years alone.
Just a few of the many kinds of products being evaluated by CL include: vitamins, health and nutrition products, herbal preparations, sports energy products, food and beverage products, and personal care products. One of the most common types of evaluations carried by CL are product reviews, in which samples of various submitted products are evaluated and compared to other similar products for quality and content reliability. In order to not be seen as patronizing any particular manufacturing company, CL purchases many product samples for several companies, and evaluates them independently before placing it’s coveted “CL” seal of approval on the tested product. Products tested, not only include well known ‘popular brands’ but smaller, less known brands as well, including what are known as “house brands”. CL selects a number of independent laboratories to conduct “blind testing” on products to which the actual manufacturer is not disclosed. The results of these independent tests are then evaluated in order to complete the certification process.
Upon completion of these testing reviews, people who are subscribers to CL’s services can obtain the final reviews for a number of products, enabling them to choose the products they want to purchase more prudently. If a product fails the CL testing, the manufacturer can resubmit it again at a later date for re-evaluation.
As CL’s testing and evaluations is strictly voluntary, it encourages manufactures to pay closer attention to the quality standards to go into the product’s manufacture. This is due largely to the positive reputation that CL’s testing and evaluation findings are in respect to more positive feedback on the part of the purchasing consumer. The CL certification label is vary important for manufacturers of sports energy supplement products due to the problem of various banned substances, including steroids, that could ruin an athlete’s credibility in an athletic competition.
Tested brands that pass CL’s stringent reviews and voluntary testing programs are later posted on their website, together with the CL “stamp of approval”. In today’s tough and competitive consumer market, having the CL approval label is a added boost to marketing a dietary, or fitness product to an already wary consumer public.
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