Quality That Counts: Building Consumer Trust in Supplements Through Better Science
Wed Jan 21 2026
In this episode of The Supplement Source, host Jeff Ventura is joined by Lindsay Cole, Business Development & Marketing Manager for North America, and Eric Ciappio, Senior Manager of Nutrition Science at Balchem, to unpack one of the most pressing issues facing the dietary supplement industry today: quality and consumer trust.
Against the backdrop of renewed policy debates around supplement oversight, the conversation explores what “quality” really means—from objective testing and regulatory standards to formulation science, ingredient stability, and shelf-life performance. Using vitamin K2 as a real-world case study, the guests break down why factors like encapsulation, ingredient interactions, and isomeric form can make the difference between a supplement that works and one that doesn’t.
Lindsay and Eric also share testing data showing inconsistencies in K2 products on the market, discuss how poor formulation can undermine consumer confidence, and explain why leadership in quality requires going beyond minimum requirements through education, innovation, and rigorous science.
Whether you’re a manufacturer, formulator, policymaker, or informed consumer, this episode offers a clear, science-backed look at why supplement quality is more than a buzzword—and how getting it right is essential for the future of the industry.
About the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN)
The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), founded in 1973, is a Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing 180 dietary supplement and functional food manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, and companies providing services to those manufacturers and suppliers. In addition to complying with a host of federal and state regulations governing dietary supplements and food in the areas of manufacturing, marketing, quality control and safety, our manufacturer and supplier members also agree to adhere to additional voluntary guidelines as well as to CRN’s Code of Ethics. Follow us on Twitter @CRN_Supplements and LinkedIn.
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In this episode of The Supplement Source, host Jeff Ventura is joined by Lindsay Cole, Business Development & Marketing Manager for North America, and Eric Ciappio, Senior Manager of Nutrition Science at Balchem, to unpack one of the most pressing issues facing the dietary supplement industry today: quality and consumer trust. Against the backdrop of renewed policy debates around supplement oversight, the conversation explores what “quality” really means—from objective testing and regulatory standards to formulation science, ingredient stability, and shelf-life performance. Using vitamin K2 as a real-world case study, the guests break down why factors like encapsulation, ingredient interactions, and isomeric form can make the difference between a supplement that works and one that doesn’t. Lindsay and Eric also share testing data showing inconsistencies in K2 products on the market, discuss how poor formulation can undermine consumer confidence, and explain why leadership in quality requires going beyond minimum requirements through education, innovation, and rigorous science. Whether you’re a manufacturer, formulator, policymaker, or informed consumer, this episode offers a clear, science-backed look at why supplement quality is more than a buzzword—and how getting it right is essential for the future of the industry. About the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), founded in 1973, is a Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing 180 dietary supplement and functional food manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, and companies providing services to those manufacturers and suppliers. In addition to complying with a host of federal and state regulations governing dietary supplements and food in the areas of manufacturing, marketing, quality control and safety, our manufacturer and supplier members also agree to adhere to additional voluntary guidelines as well as to CRN’s Code of Ethics. Follow us on Twitter @CRN_Supplements and LinkedIn.