Sheldon Baker05.01.15
Élan M. Sudberg is CEO of Alkemist Labs, a contract-testing laboratory specializing in plant authentication, botanical ingredient identification and quantitative analytical services to the food and beverage, nutraceutical and cosmeceutical industries. He has a degree in chemistry from California State University Long Beach, and has authored numerous journal articles on phytochemistry and analytical techniques for the natural products and nutraceutical industry. He is a board member of the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), as well as AHPA’s Education and Research on Botanicals Foundation. For more information: www.alkemist.com.
Health E-Insights: Tell us a little about your company.
Mr. Sudberg: Alkemist Labs is an independent cGMP contract laboratory that specializes in routine QC/Compendial testing, method development and validation/verification services, and dedicated research services of natural products for companies throughout the food & beverage, dietary supplements and cosmetic markets. Alkemist was founded in 1997 by my father, Dr. Sidney Sudberg, a research chemist. I joined the company 15 years ago after getting my degree in chemistry.
Health E-Insights: What is your company’s competitive advantage?
Mr. Sudberg: What was once perceived as a limitation has become Alkemist Labs’ competitive advantage; we started with a narrow focus on botanical identity testing. This was due to our low budget since we were self-funding, sequestering us in the low-tech side of the analytical lab business. As the years went by that’s what we were known for being very good at, which positioned us well when the cGMPs were introduced by FDA. Alkemist Labs is known around the globe for being the leaders in botanical identification, and over the last 10 years has diversified into HPLC, GC and other services to help the dietary supplement industry shine. Our equipment supplier says we do more HPTLC testing than anyone else in the country, and possibly the world.
Health E-Insights: How will technology change our industry?
Mr. Sudberg: New technology is always around the corner offering potentially more efficient ways to do things. The interesting thing is that we use testing techniques developed hundreds of years ago. Light microscopy has been around for centuries and the concept behind HPTLC is almost as old. They work, they are accurate, and they are affordable. Those two have stood the test of time, FDA audits and industry scrutiny in light of newer, shinier and more expensive methodology. New technologies available to us now that have shown some proof of concept also have their limitations. Interestingly, misuse of relatively new technology by the New York Attorney General may be what pushes the industry to ramp up testing programs.
Health E-Insights: In what direction do you see the supplement industry moving?
Mr. Sudberg: I see the supplement industry moving toward a landscape where a consumer can hold a bottle of a product they are about to purchase and, using their smartphone, access the company’s website to see lab results for each and every ingredient listed on the bottle. They may not necessarily understand the results, however, they will be reassured if full disclosure and full transparency is part of their requirements before buying a product. Quality will be out of the closet and in your hand. This same feature will resonate throughout the industry from seed to shelf and will not be limited only to consumers. In the past the data from seed to shelf, if shared at all, was only available B-to-B. Now consumers want the option of access to such data. They want to know where the plants were grown and each step along the way as well.
Health E-Insights: If you could change one thing about the supplement business, what would it be?
Mr. Sudberg: Two things. I would have the FDA revise the cGMPs to state and specify which methods are best for which testing. They have left it up to us and ‘us’ sometimes relies on willful ignorance in effort to maximize profits. This isn’t working. And I would require transparency for each and every ingredient on a finished product, including the original lab report and matching lot or batch numbers.
Health E-Insights: Are you active in any trade organizations?
Mr. Sudberg: Yes, just about all of them. AHPA, AHP, ABC, CRN, NPA, UNPA and I’m sure I am forgetting a few…
Health E-Insights: What would you invent if you had the chance?
Mr. Sudberg: A time machine would be nice—not to go back and redo things, because I’d probably step on that butterfly and change the future or something— rather, just to stop time for the purpose of decompression, R&R and spending more time with loved ones.
Health E-Insights: Who has had the biggest influence on your life?
Mr. Sudberg: My parents have been the biggest influence on me in my life. I was raised as a privileged observer and not the center of the universe like some kids. I felt fortunate to go to a restaurant for dinner or Sequoia National Park for vacation. These things were never my place to request or even demand, rather opportunities for me to tag along. That gave me a healthy perspective on life. I observed their successes and failures and know what to do, and what not to do, when it’s my turn for similar experiences. As my father states, we were raised free range and with no antibiotics or synthetic hormones. The way I grew up gave me lots of freedom to dig holes in the backyard until my palms blistered just to see what was down there. I believe kids are scientists from birth and my parents made my surroundings a laboratory for my inquisitiveness. Today, as the CEO of one of the leading analytical laboratories in the dietary supplement industry, I can’t thank them enough for setting me up to succeed on my own.
Sheldon Baker is well-known for creating nutraceutical brand marketing and public relations campaigns. He serves as vice president, strategic engagement, for the American Herbal Products Association. For Health E-Insights interview consideration, contact him at Sheldon@NutraInk.com. And follow him on Twitter @NutraInk.
Health E-Insights: Tell us a little about your company.
Mr. Sudberg: Alkemist Labs is an independent cGMP contract laboratory that specializes in routine QC/Compendial testing, method development and validation/verification services, and dedicated research services of natural products for companies throughout the food & beverage, dietary supplements and cosmetic markets. Alkemist was founded in 1997 by my father, Dr. Sidney Sudberg, a research chemist. I joined the company 15 years ago after getting my degree in chemistry.
Health E-Insights: What is your company’s competitive advantage?
Mr. Sudberg: What was once perceived as a limitation has become Alkemist Labs’ competitive advantage; we started with a narrow focus on botanical identity testing. This was due to our low budget since we were self-funding, sequestering us in the low-tech side of the analytical lab business. As the years went by that’s what we were known for being very good at, which positioned us well when the cGMPs were introduced by FDA. Alkemist Labs is known around the globe for being the leaders in botanical identification, and over the last 10 years has diversified into HPLC, GC and other services to help the dietary supplement industry shine. Our equipment supplier says we do more HPTLC testing than anyone else in the country, and possibly the world.
Health E-Insights: How will technology change our industry?
Mr. Sudberg: New technology is always around the corner offering potentially more efficient ways to do things. The interesting thing is that we use testing techniques developed hundreds of years ago. Light microscopy has been around for centuries and the concept behind HPTLC is almost as old. They work, they are accurate, and they are affordable. Those two have stood the test of time, FDA audits and industry scrutiny in light of newer, shinier and more expensive methodology. New technologies available to us now that have shown some proof of concept also have their limitations. Interestingly, misuse of relatively new technology by the New York Attorney General may be what pushes the industry to ramp up testing programs.
Health E-Insights: In what direction do you see the supplement industry moving?
Health E-Insights: If you could change one thing about the supplement business, what would it be?
Mr. Sudberg: Two things. I would have the FDA revise the cGMPs to state and specify which methods are best for which testing. They have left it up to us and ‘us’ sometimes relies on willful ignorance in effort to maximize profits. This isn’t working. And I would require transparency for each and every ingredient on a finished product, including the original lab report and matching lot or batch numbers.
Health E-Insights: Are you active in any trade organizations?
Mr. Sudberg: Yes, just about all of them. AHPA, AHP, ABC, CRN, NPA, UNPA and I’m sure I am forgetting a few…
Health E-Insights: What would you invent if you had the chance?
Mr. Sudberg: A time machine would be nice—not to go back and redo things, because I’d probably step on that butterfly and change the future or something— rather, just to stop time for the purpose of decompression, R&R and spending more time with loved ones.
Health E-Insights: Who has had the biggest influence on your life?
Mr. Sudberg: My parents have been the biggest influence on me in my life. I was raised as a privileged observer and not the center of the universe like some kids. I felt fortunate to go to a restaurant for dinner or Sequoia National Park for vacation. These things were never my place to request or even demand, rather opportunities for me to tag along. That gave me a healthy perspective on life. I observed their successes and failures and know what to do, and what not to do, when it’s my turn for similar experiences. As my father states, we were raised free range and with no antibiotics or synthetic hormones. The way I grew up gave me lots of freedom to dig holes in the backyard until my palms blistered just to see what was down there. I believe kids are scientists from birth and my parents made my surroundings a laboratory for my inquisitiveness. Today, as the CEO of one of the leading analytical laboratories in the dietary supplement industry, I can’t thank them enough for setting me up to succeed on my own.
Sheldon Baker is well-known for creating nutraceutical brand marketing and public relations campaigns. He serves as vice president, strategic engagement, for the American Herbal Products Association. For Health E-Insights interview consideration, contact him at Sheldon@NutraInk.com. And follow him on Twitter @NutraInk.
