Ever imagine the day you'd see the term Big Herba used in a news report? That's one of the generalized slams made in a recent Associated Press story about the big players and the smaller ones in the supplements industry.

Interestingly, among the bigger players in the supplements industry are some of the nation's pharmaceutical giants, namely Wyeth and Bayer. What's more, the supplements industry, based on 2007 estimates, generates $23 billion annually, not a small number by any stretch, except in comparison to the mega-pharmaceuticals that generate more than 10 times that sum every year.

Another hot button issue in the AP piece comes by way of a quote from a ConsumerLab.com executive who believes bigger companies may be more capable of producing products that are "pure" and have more to lose by selling inferior products.

However, a representative from the Analytical Research Collective offered some important perspective about bigger companies seeking low-cost suppliers in less developed countries producing cheaper ingredients, cheaper products and reduced quality. "You basically get what you pay for," says ARC's Jana Hildreth.

Nutra-Ingredients-USA.com June 11, 2009

MSN Money June 9, 2009