WHY and HOW are our products manufactured? What is it that sets us apart from our competitors? In light of the need for transparency and to help you make informed choices, Land Art opens the doors of its expert-laboratory and presents to you its manufacturing processes.
Development
Our development team performs the necessary research to ascertain the best and most reputable active ingredients available so we can meet the demand and needs of users. We examine the most serious studies, as well as product monographs issued by Health Canada, to insure the efficacy of the selected ingredients. The dosage of active ingredients is always calculated according to the minimum and maximum amounts recommended in the product monographs and regulations of Health Canada. Numerous trials follow this step to achieve a perfect balance between the active ingredients and non-medicinal ingredients. At every stage of the development process we ask ourselves the following questions:
» Are the selected ingredients positively interacting with each other?» Is there synergy (when the combined ingredients become even more effective)?
» Does it have a pleasant taste?
» When the answer to these questions is positive, we consider it a good “recipe”. A test group then tries out the product, to insure its real efficacy, as well as approval of the taste, texture, etc.
Codes and standards
We are proud to be part of the 10% of businesses that succeeded in obtaining and maintaining their operating permit from Health Canada, which certifies that we conform to good manufacturing practices (GMP) with our house standards often even surpassing those of Health Canada. What are GMP’s? They are standards and practices applicable to a product’s specifications, manufacturing, storing, handling, and distribution. They are worldwide standards that apply to foods, medication, and natural health products (NHP). The reference document for the GMP’s is very detailed and describes the minimum standards that a NHP business needs to follow before releasing a product on the market. These instructions affect facilities (premises and equipment), people (manufacturing staff and person responsible for quality control), established processes (health programs and manufacturing processes), as well as products (specifications, stability, samples, records, etc.).
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To learn more on GMP’s click here |
Quality control
At Land Art quality control is rigorously observed. Even if our suppliers provide a certificate of analysis for each batch of raw material, we analyze all the ingredients ourselves before including them in our production runs. All material must meet USP standards (pharmaceutical standard).
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To learn more on our USP standards click here |
Our products are then manufactured following a procedure that respects the GMP standards mentioned above. Before bottling, our quality control department examines each batch. The analysis performed are as follows:
» Active ingredient analysis - to verify that the dosage of active substances is correct (USP standard).» Microbiological analysis - to insure that the product does not contain any pathogen micro-organisms.
» Organoleptic analysis - to study the appearance and taste of the product, to make sure they meet specifications.
The batch numbers and expiry dates are validated before bottling, then the weight of the bottles is statistically verified to insure systematically uniform filling. Samples of each batch are kept in the laboratory for stability testing procedures and to use as reference.
Extraction processes
We use different extraction methods according to the results expected. Certain active ingredients, which can be damaged by heat, are cold extracted, while others must be heat extracted. These extractions are performed with water or alcohol, once again, according to the expected result and the active ingredient to be extracted. Closed circuit percolation and maceration are the most utilized methods of extraction.
Using Preserving Agents
Land Art has analyzed different options to insure stability, preservation and safety of its liquid food products:
- Pasteurization (a heat treatment that destroys the majority of undesirable micro-organisms contained in a product). There are 2 ways to pasteurize: either the product is heated and bottled while hot, or the entire closed bottle containing the product undergoes a thermal treatment. The final result is the same; the bottled product ends up with a limited number of pathogens. The advantage of this method is that no additive is needed. On the other hand, as soon as the bottle is opened, the contents can very easily be contaminated. It is not convenient for a product that is not completely consumed upon opening. Furthermore, the thermal treatment can damage the active ingredients and reduce the product efficiency.
- Micro-filtration consists of eliminating most unwanted micro-organisms by using a filter in a smaller size than they are. The advantage to this option is that the product is not heated and, like in the case of pasteurization, no preserving agents are added. The major inconvenience is that some active ingredients may also be retained by the filter, which could deprive the product its main qualities and its efficiency. Also, like with pasteurization, once the bottle is opened, it can be easily contaminated.
- Using preserving agents prevents the proliferation of micro-organisms, keeps the product stable at room temperature and also protects it from external contamination, even once the bottle is opened. The use of preservatives also has the advantage of offering a fresh product whose properties and active ingredients were not damaged or destroyed by a thermal treatment. These preservatives are either potassium sorbate combined with sodium benzoate, which are effective in an acid environment (pH < 4), or methylparaben and propylparaben which are effective in a more neutral environment (pH > 5). These preservatives are the only ones approved by the World Health Organization. The are found in our products in very small quantities, less than 0.1% (less than 0.5 gram per 500 ml bottle), which is the same quantity found in a 330 ml drink that would be consumed all at once. The daily average dose of Land Art supplements is 15 ml. It would therefore be necessary to take a daily dose of a Land Art supplement during 22 days in order to swallow the same quantity of preservatives contained in one drink.
Land Art is not a company led by marketing principles, but rather inspired by a team of scientists (biologist, flavour chemist, microbiologist, naturopath and specialist in food science) anxious to offer an excellent and thoroughly effective product. We chose to use preservatives in spite of the bad press they have been getting because it is the safest method for users and it enables us to guarantee a product which has not been damaged or weakened by a thermal treatment.
We support the efforts meant at decreasing the use of preservatives in our daily food intake, but the insignificant quantity of preserving agents needed in Land Art supplements to guarantee an optimal product outweighs largely the constraints connected to their presence. Land Art has never had to recall a product for safety reasons. This makes us proud and confirms that we have chosen the right solution.
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