Beyond the label: ingredient integrity defines the future of nutrition

At the heart of this challenge is ingredient integrity, which rests on the ability to deliver products that are safe, effective, and authentic. And this, in turn, depends on how closely brands work with suppliers and how rigorously they verify every step of the sourcing process.

The hidden cost of compromised ingredients

Food fraud and ingredient adulteration are no longer distant risk factors, but a growing reality for brands and manufacturers. The EU Food Fraud Network reported over 600 cases of suspected fraud in 2023 alone, a 16% increase year-on-year. Spices, seafood, flours, and high-value botanicals are among the most targeted, with substitution, dilution, and mislabelling the most common tactics. A recent case highlights this. One brand used a protein powder with 80% protein content. Testing, however, showed that the powder was only 60% protein in the final products, which meant the brand had to repackage all its stock and consider legal action. Partnering with a credible partner helps avoid all these issues. Additional repercussions can include:  

• Regulatory non-compliance:  requiring costly product withdrawals or relabelling.

• Consumer mistrust: amplified by social media and peer networks.

• Financial loss: not only from corrective action but from reputational damage that competitors are quick to exploit.

Protein ingredients, flours, botanical extracts, and speciality actives in particular are all areas where specification sheets can fail to reflect the real content of shipments, and even within Europe, where oversight is stronger than in some markets, off-specification materials persist. In higher-risk sourcing regions such as India or China, batch-to-batch variability can be a problematic and recurring issue.

Why paper is not proof

The globalisation of the food industry has made it easier for fraudsters to source ingredients and products from different countries, while complex supply chains can make it difficult to trace the origin and authenticity of a product.

Specification sheets remain the industry’s standard reference point, but these are often declarations, not guarantees. By treating them as fact, a brand is exposed to discrepancies that only emerge once the ingredient has already entered the production line, or even worse, landed in the marketplace.

But at ACI Group, we treat specification sheets as a starting point, not an endpoint. Every new ingredient we supply undergoes rigorous independent verification before it enters the supply chain. For example, when sourcing botanical extracts or fibre and protein flours, we coordinate third-party laboratory testing to confirm active compound levels match the manufacturer’s claims. This will allow us to catch discrepancies early, thereby protecting brands from costly recalls, regulatory breaches, and reputational harm.

In the main, we believe that specification sheets should be treated as hypotheses to be tested, not truths to be trusted. For ACI, independent verification at the very start of a supplier relationship and consistently thereafter is the only safeguard against costly surprises.

Building resilient supplier partnerships

Every new supplier relationship carries an element of risk, and even well-established companies may have inconsistencies in their processes, controls, or local compliance standards. This is why we believe that validation must start with the very first batch delivered to establish accountability. Here, independent laboratory testing of initial shipments sets a baseline for performance and makes clear that quality shortcuts will not go unnoticed.

But validation is not enough. Consistency is the true measure of reliability. Even strong suppliers can face pressures - whether from raw material shortages, labour turnover, unpredictable weather and harvesting outcomes, or economic shifts that can compromise standards. Regular revalidation and batch testing are therefore essential to maintain integrity over time.

Here, forward-looking brands are already taking this proactive stance, embedding validation protocols that exceed regulatory minimums. By doing so, they transform quality assurance from a compliance exercise into a competitive differentiator.

The role of trusted intermediaries

In the food and beverage supply chain, consistency is the real measure of quality. A supplier who delivers on spec once may not always repeat the performance. This is why ongoing batch-by-batch or sample-by-sample lab testing remains essential until full supply chain reliability has been established, and third-party validation plays a crucial role in reinforcing trust across the supply chain. Independent assessments can reduce conflicts of interest and provide defensible evidence in the event of regulatory scrutiny.

But at ACI Group, we go further. We work closely with both customers and suppliers to embed ingredient assurance into every stage of the supply chain. This includes:

• Rigorous validation of first batches

• Coordination of independent testing across ongoing shipments

• Ensuring compliance with evolving regulatory frameworks in both domestic and global markets

By creating a culture of transparency and accountability, we ensure that our partners can focus on innovation and growth, confident that ingredient integrity is safeguarded.

Integrity as a market advantage

The global nutrition market is expanding rapidly, forecast to grow by $43bn during 2022-2027, accelerating with a 4.48% CARD during this period.  But with growth always comes additional scrutiny as regulators tighten their oversight, and consumers, empowered by instant information, are less forgiving of inconsistency than ever before.

In this context, ingredient integrity is not just about compliance but brand survival. Companies that invest in robust supplier partnerships and systematic validation demonstrate a clear point of difference where every claim is evidence-based, every product is safe, and every consumer interaction is built on trust.

Proof over promises

At ACI Group, we believe the future of nutrition will be defined by brands that treat integrity as a discipline, not a slogan. Those that commit to rigorous supplier validation will not only protect themselves from costly failures but will also help raise the standards of the entire industry. Because at the end of the day, the most powerful message a brand can send is not what’s printed on the label, but the evidence that backs it up.

For more information on our range of products and specifications, contact the ACI team today or visit our website at www.acigroup.co.uk.