Quality assurance doesn’t come cheap–but it probably comes cheaper than a lawsuit By: Elan Sudberg There has been a lot of discussion within the industry recently about ramping up quality, with the recurring lament, “but how do we afford it?” Well, here’s a fact to answer that question: Labs cost a whole lot less than […]
Danielle Harper
Alkemist Labs Announces Mo Lababidi as Director of Botanical Identity
Garden Grove, CA (June 22, 2026) – Alkemist Labs is pleased to announce that Mo Lababidi has joined the company as Director of Botanical Identity. In this role, he will help drive continued innovation and operational excellence as demand for scientifically valid botanical testing continues to grow. Mo will focus on enhancing laboratory efficiency, ensuring […]
Petra takes on NPA Fly-In Day, USP Forum & East Coast SoCal Dietary Supplement Consortium
Petra’s East Coast Tour What a week in DC! Between NPA Fly-In Day, the USP Forum, and the first East Coast SoCal Dietary Supplement Consortium event, I managed to fit three impactful events into one trip thanks to all of the schedules aligning perfectly. The conversations, collaborations, and people made the week so memorable. A […]
NASC Reflections
Petra’s Reflections on 2026 NASC What a joy to be back at the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC) Annual Conference. In the great revolving calendar of Alkemist event coverage, I hadn’t won this lotto draw in eight years, with my last NASC appearance back in 2018. Wow, has NASC grown since I’ve been gone. The […]
ASTA Recap
Elan’s perspective on ASTA 2026 Petra and I recently attended the American Spice Trade Association annual meeting in beautiful Palm Desert, California. Not Coachella, though arguably there were fewer complex aromatics and fewer questionable hats. While Alkemist tests nearly 2,000 plants and fungi, we have not historically played a deep role in the spice trade. […]
Sports & Active Nutrition Summit Recap
Petra’s SANS Recap Last month, I had the opportunity to attend the Sports & Active Nutrition Summit for the first time. I was especially excited to attend given the strong reputation the conference has built over the years. It did not disappoint! SANS expanded this year with a larger venue and increased attendance, creating a […]
Petra Erlandson: Thoughts on NSF/ANSI 173 Joint Committee Meeting 2025
Directly on the heels of SupplySide Global, I made a quick turnaround and flew to Detroit for the NSF/ANSI 173 Joint Committee meeting at NSF International’s headquarters in Ann Arbor. If you’re not familiar with it, NSF/ANSI 173 is the voluntary American National Standard for dietary supplements product quality and safety. Experts from across the industry […]