Meeting the standards and beyond

The supercritical extraction facility in Eustis, Florida is governed and certified by the strictest Kosher and organic processing standards. Our manufacturing facility and practices also meet or exceed the proposed FDA's Good Manufacturing Practices for dietary supplements.

Our quality control program encompasses a field-to-shelf process, starting with the raw materials. We pioneered the use of sustainably harvested saw palmetto, refusing to purchase berries from unregulated markets, prematurely harvested or sources not concerned with the long-term viability of this botanical native of the southeastern United States. Raw materials are gathered from Valensa's extensive properties or through individual contracts with landowners to assure property rights are respected. In the case of saw palmetto berries we utilize low temperatures and constant moisture monitoring to ensure peak quality before further processing or shipment. A field-to-factory tracking system further assures all of our materials are delivered in optimum condition.

Our raw materials are harvested at their peak ripeness, and in order to maintain their quality, they are dried with the lowest technically feasible temperature. Raw materials are cleaned before and after drying and assigned lot numbers. Botanical raw materials are carefully tracked from the time of harvest until the completion of the extraction process or until they are sold, in bulk, to our customer.

Organic and Kosher certification

Our manufacturing facility in Eustis, Florida has been certified as an FVO® IFOAM and USDA NOP compliant organic processor by International Certification Services, Inc. It has also been certified kosher by Kosher Supervision of America (KSA).

USPlus® Saw Palmetto

Valensa's USPlus® Saw Palmetto Oil is produced utilizing supercritical CO₂ extraction under the highest commercial extraction pressures available in the world today. USPlus® is the only supercritical saw palmetto oil that meets or exceeds all of the minimum requirements currently proposed by the U.S. Pharmacopeia for Saw Palmetto Extract Standard (USP 26 – NF 21 First Supplement. 2003. p. 3024-25).

In 2003, we submitted our saw palmetto extract to ConsumerLab.com for in-depth analysis to demonstrate that the ingredient met or exceeded quality standards set by the nationally renowned certification company. Test findings on the company's saw palmetto extract exceeded specific quality criteria established by ConsumerLab.com and other science-based entities, such as the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP). This third party validation confirms that our saw palmetto extract is exceptionally high in the specific constituents believed responsible for the benefits of saw palmetto oil. Details on the testing procedure and the listing of the approved saw palmetto liquid extract is posted on the ConsumerLab.com web site at www.consumerlab.com/results/rawing.asp.

"We congratulate U.S. Nutra for holding its product to this high standard...There are many products on the market that do not contain an ingredient of this quality."
Tod Cooperman, M.D., ConsumerLab.com / President

Quality trade association memberships

American Botanical Council
Organic Trade Association
American Herbal Products Association