International Aloe Science Council
The International Aloe Science Council (IASC) is a nonprofit trade organization for the aloe vera industry worldwide. It was formed in 1981 in the United States. IASC members are required to comply with the code of ethics and business practices, and to adhere to all of its policies and principles.
The IASC promotes the responsible manufacture and sale of aloe vera products and provide facts to enable consumers to make informed choices about aloe vera products.
There are two primary types of processed raw ingredients used in commercially available aloe vera products:
- Decolorized or purified aloe vera leaf juice (sometimes also referred to as "whole leaf").
- Aloe vera inner leaf juice (sometimes referred to as "inner filet" or "gel")
Sometimes the Aloe latex (the bitter, yellow sap found between the rind and the inner leaf material) is used. A complete description, including flow charts of how aloe vera raw materials are processed, can be found in chapter 2 of the Encyclopedia of Dietary Supplements, Second Edition.
Code of ethics and business conduct
Program participants agree to uphold the IASC code of ethics and business conduct, which consists of a collection of trade recommendations, guidelines on fair and honest business practices and industry best practices.
Certification program
The certification program was created in the early 1980s in order to ensure companies provide an accurate representation of the true amount of aloe in their aloe products. This audit program is a series of rigorous tests and analyses of facilities, production circumstances and ready product, ensuring aloe content of the highest quality and purity. If passed, the company or the product is allowed to use the IASC seal of certification.
As with most certifications, strict controls are held to ensure that appropriate standard operating procedures (SOPs) are existing and maintained. For IASC, these include personnel (i.e. hygiene, training, equipment); maintenance of building; storage and transportation of aloe vera from fields and raw material to containing; quality control procedures. Also, the finished goods are extensively checked with physical tests, microbiological testing, analysis of finished products and stability testing to assure shelf life through expiration date. Even water supply is monitored to meet requirements as a food ingredient (if applicable).
The program also requires that all test methods used at any phase of production should be listed. All certified products and raw materials must renew certification annually and there are random tests on a monthly basis in order to ensure the continued sanctity and overall integrity of the certification program.
Labeling guidance
In 2009, the IASC labeling guidance was adopted by the members of the council. This guidance is required for products manufactured for sale in the USA and recommended for products manufactured for sale worldwide.
Herein is stated, amongst others, that it should be clearly communicated part of the plant that has been used (i.e. leaf, inner leaf, latex). It is furthermore mandatory to state how many percent of aloe vera (leaf-juice-gel) the product contains and if additional preservatives, sweetener or water has been added.
Position statement
The IASC has written the IASC Polysaccharide Position Statement by Ivan E. Danhof, Ph.D. M.D.