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 Are you buying counterfeit emu oil?

June, 2005 - According to FDA, there has been an increase in drug counterfeiting activities in recent years. This counterfeiting represents a threat to public health because the finished drug products may closely resemble legitimate drugs, yet contain inactive ingredients, incorrect combinations of ingredients, improper dosages, erratic potencies or be contaminated. Although emu oil is not classified as a drug, there have been cases where the oil has been adulterated or cut with other ingredients and then an attempt has been made to pass the resulting product off as pure. “I’m afraid it is true,” said Gerald Edwards, president of the American Emu Association. “We have heard of cases where unscrupulous dealers have cut the emu oil with vegetable oil or some other ingredient and then tried to sell it to an unsuspecting products company. This concern was one reason that the American Emu Association sought guidance from the American Oil Chemist Society to establish the Emu Oil Trade Rules.” According to the Emu Oil Trade Rules, there are three grades of emu oil accepted in the United States: Crude, Once Refined and Fully Refined. AEA has taken this a step further by issuing an AEA Certified Fully Refined Seal to be used on products made from registered batches. In order to register a batch with AEA, the processor must provide proof that an AOCS chemist tested the batch and that it met the criteria established by the emu oil trade rules for Fully Refined at the time of processing. A sample is held in storage from each batch and can be pulled for testing if there is any question of product purity. The approved batch numbers are kept on file at the AEA office.

For product companies purchasing oil in bulk, seeing the seal, batch number and reviewing the Certificate of Analysis assures them that they are purchasing a pure, safe product to use in their health and beauty formulations. They can then pass this assurance on to their customers through use of the seal and batch number on their packaging.

Now in it's 5th year, the AEA Certified Fully Refined Emu Oil program is considered a success, with additional product companies registering for use of the seal each month.

The American Emu Association is a non-profit trade association representing the emu industry. The emu industry is an alternative agricultural industry, dominated by the small farmer, who is devoted to humane and environmentally positive practices that will produce beneficial products for society. For more information about the American Emu Association (AEA) or the emu industry visit http://www.aea-emu.org or call 541-332-0675.

 

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