Use, Quality and Safety of Food Supplements: Scientific and Regulatory Perspectives

Dear Colleagues,

Food and dietary supplements are consumed globally, but their usage patterns, composition, and safety profiles can differ widely. Thanks to recent progress in analytical chemistry, biochemistry, and regulatory science, we now have more effective tools to verify ingredients, measure active compounds, and detect contaminants or adulteration. Even so, important challenges remain, particularly in achieving unified quality standards, maintaining consistent post-market monitoring, and establishing evidence-based safety thresholds.

The reasons for using food supplements, which contain nutrients, biologically active compounds, or plant-based extracts, are shaped by a mix of demographic, lifestyle, and clinical factors. This diversity highlights the importance of incorporating real-world data into the assessments of risks and benefits.

This Special Issue invites original research, reviews, and policy analyses that explore various aspects of food supplements, ranging from consumption trends to quality control and safety regulation. We welcome contributions on topics such as prevalence, patterns, and attitudes regarding the use of food supplements; advanced analytical and innovative methods for product validation; standardization of botanical and micronutrient formulations; clinical and toxicological studies; interactions between food supplements, foods, and drugs; post-market surveillance systems; comparative regulatory analyses across countries; and frameworks for assessing risk and benefit to guide consumers. By bringing together interdisciplinary insights, this Special Issue aims to support science-informed policymaking, foster regulatory alignment, and help protect public health.

Dr. João G. Costa
Prof. Dr. Bojana Vidović
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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