Case Histories
Customer Stories & Testimonials Do you want to hear a good story?
Every product that Vitaquest makes is a journey of innovation – in one way or another. In every part of our organization, we have people who rise to the challenges of product development and manufacture with creativity, diligence and pride.
Good Tasting Chewable Probiotic for Children
A customer wanted to create a chewable probiotic for children – but had a problem because the native taste of probiotics is not child-friendly. A second problem was the incompatibility of many flavor systems with probiotic stability. Vitaquest’s in-house QC laboratory developed an advanced flow cytometry method to screen the impact of various flavors on microbial activity. After much testing and screening, Vitaquest was able to find a flavor system that tasted great, without harming the delicate probiotics. The product sells well in the market today.
Using DNA Testing to Ensure Halal
Porcine products are not acceptable for Halal certification. Going the extra mile for customers who wanted Halal certification, Vitaquest developed an approach using DNA testing. This test was used in as part of the sourcing process. One positive test at a potential supplier turned out positive. Vitaquest was able to work with the supplier to determine that porcine contamination was coming from grease lubricant in the ingredient production plant. The supplier was able to take corrective action.
A Novel Ashwagandha Product
In a competitive market marked by commoditization, a customer wanted to sell a unique product that was included both ashwagandha stem and leaf. There was no existing test for this type of ingredient to ensure ingredient identity and quality control. This type of testing is critical for supplying products that can make claims based on clinical trials, since it is essential to use the same material studied in the trial. Vitaquest developed its own methodology for measuring chemical markers and as a result was able to consistently source material that met the clinical specifications.
Avoiding Protein Problems
Protein powders and protein-enhanced beverages and functional foods are some of the hottest products on the market today. As often happens when supplies get tight, lower quality ingredients are offered for sale, and it was discovered that some suppliers were ‘spiking’ their ingredients to pass tests for total nitrogen rather than amino acid content. As part of best practice with protein ingredients, Vitaquest starting a screening program using a third-party laboratory. Today, every protein sourced and filled by Vitaquest meets specifications. This gives our customers the ability to sell products consumers can trust – and to avoid the bad press coverage that follows adulteration.
