WARNING LETTER
Assault Labs
MARCS-CMS 622050 —
May 04, 2022
Delivery Method:
VIA UNITED PARCEL SERVICE SIGNATURE REQUIRED
Product:
Dietary Supplements
Recipient:
Assault Labs
4000 W. Burbank Blvd
Suite No. 210
Burbank
,
CA
91505
United States
Support@assault-labs.com
Issuing Office:
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN)
United States
Dear Sir or Madame:
This letter concerns your product Wild Thing Tropical Tornado flavor, which is labeled as a dietary supplement. As explained further below, introducing or delivering this product for introduction into interstate commerce violates the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the FD&C Act) because the product is an adulterated dietary supplement. You can find the FD&C Act through links on FDA’s website at https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/laws-enforced-fda/federal-food-drug-andcosmetic-act-fdc-act and the FDA regulations at https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21.
Adulterated Dietary Supplement: Unsafe Food Additive
The label of your product Wild Thing Tropical Tornado flavor declares hordenine HCl and higenamine HCl as dietary ingredients; however, neither one is a dietary ingredient. Under section 201(ff)(1) of the FD&C Act [21 U.S.C. § 321(ff)(1)], a dietary ingredient is a vitamin; a mineral; an herb or other botanical; an amino acid; a dietary substance for use by man to supplement the diet by increasing the total dietary intake; or a concentrate, metabolite, constituent, extract, or combination of any dietary ingredient from the preceding categories. Hordenine HCl and higenamine HCl do not qualify as dietary ingredients under section 201(ff)(1) of the FD&C Act because they are not vitamins; minerals; amino acids; herbs or other botanicals; dietary substances for use by man to supplement the diet by increasing the total dietary intake; or concentrates, metabolites, constituents, extracts, or combinations of any dietary ingredients from the preceding categories.
If a substance is not generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by qualified experts for its intended use in food and does not qualify for any of the other exemptions from the food additive definition, it is a food additive. Food additives require premarket approval based on data demonstrating safety. Any food additive that has not been approved for its intended use in food is deemed to be unsafe and causes the food to be adulterated under section 402(a)(2)(C)(i) of the FD&C Act [21 U.S.C. § 342(a)(2)(C)(i)]. Adulterated foods cannot be legally imported or marketed in the United States.
Section 201(s) of the FD&C Act [21 U.S.C. § 321(s)] exempts dietary ingredients used in dietary supplements from the food additive definition. However, non-dietary ingredients intended for use in dietary supplements, such as the hordenine HCl and higenamine HCl used in your product, are not exempt from the food additive definition and must meet the same requirements as substances added to conventional foods. In other words, a non-dietary ingredient added to a dietary supplement must be used in accordance with a food additive regulation or be GRAS for its intended use, unless it qualifies for another exception to the food additive definition.
Hordenine HCl and higenamine HCl are not generally recognized as safe under their conditions of use in your dietary supplement product. Because hordenine HCl and higenamine HCl do not qualify as dietary ingredients and are not GRAS or otherwise exempt from the food additive definition, your Wild Thing Tropical Tornado flavor product is adulterated under section 402(a)(2)(C)(i) of the FD&C Act because it contains unsafe food additives. The introduction or delivery for introduction into interstate commerce of any food that is adulterated is a prohibited act under section 301(a) of the FD&C Act [21 U.S.C. § 331(a)].
This letter is not intended to be an all-inclusive statement of violations that may exist in connection with your products. You are responsible for investigating and determining the causes of any violations and for preventing their recurrence or the occurrence of other violations. It is your responsibility to ensure that your firm complies with all requirements of federal law, including FDA regulations.
This letter notifies you of our concerns and provides you an opportunity to address them. Failure to adequately address this matter may result in legal action including, without limitation, seizure and injunction.
Within fifteen working days of receipt of this letter, please notify this office in writing of the specific steps you have taken to address any violations. Include an explanation of each step being taken to prevent the recurrence of violations, as well as copies of related documentation. If you cannot complete corrective actions within fifteen working days, state the reason for the delay and the time within which you will do so. If you believe that your products are not in violation of the FD&C Act, include your reasoning and any supporting information for our consideration.
Your written reply should be directed to Aaron Dotson, Compliance Officer, via email at CFSANResponse@fda.hhs.gov. If you have any questions, you may also email at CFSANResponse@fda.hhs.gov.
Sincerely,
/S/
Ann M. Oxenham
Director
Office of Compliance
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
Food and Drug Administration
Content current as of:
05/09/2022
Regulated Product(s)
Dietary Supplements