Table 7. Microbial species identified from four samples from each of two bottles from 29 herbal supplements.
Isolates are separated by supplier and supplement type.
| Nature’s Way | Bottles | Identified Contaminant |
|---|---|---|
| Aloe | 2/2 | Aspergillus sp., Sporobolomyces salmonicolor, Trichophyton sp. |
| Astragalus | 1/2 | Bacillus subtilis, Candida tropicalis |
| Cranberry | 1/2 | Aspergillus fumig\atus, Microsporum sp., Trichophyton terrestre |
| Echinacea | 2/2 | Candida albicans, Sporobolomyces, Microsporum sp. |
| Echinacea Goldenseal | 2/2 | Bacillus subtilis, Rhodotorula |
| Red Raspberry Leaf | 2/2 | Aspergillus fumigatus, Microsporum sp., Nocardia brasiliensis |
| Reishi | 1/2 | Bacillus subtilis |
| Rhodiola | 2/2 | Sporobolomyces salmonicolor |
| Silent Night | 1/2 | Candida sp., Candida tropicalis, Nocardia brasiliensis, Streptomyces |
| St. John’s Wort | 0/2 | none |
| Turmeric | 1/2 | Chlorociboria aeruginascens |
| Valerian Root | 2/2 | Aspergillus sp., Bacillus subtilis, Crytococcus neoformans, Candida krusei, Nocardia brasiliensis |
| Yarrow | 0/2 | none |
| NOW | ||
| Astragalus | 2/2 | Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus sp., Bacillus subtilis, Sporobolomyces sp., Sporotrichum sp., Trichophyton rubrum |
| Biotin | 1/2 | Lycogala epidendrum, Rhodotorula sp. |
| Ginger | 2/2 | Acremonium sp., Bacillus subtilis, Chromelosporium fulva, Cryptococcus sp., Nocardia brasiliensis, Sporobolomyces salmonicolor |
| Rhodiola | 0/2 | none |
| Spring Valley | ||
| Echinacea | 1/2 | Rhodotorula sp., Streptomyces sp. |
| Echinacea Goldenseal | 2/2 | Aspergillus sp., Beauveria sp., Trichophyton sp. |
| Ginger Root | 1/2 | Bacillus subtilis, Microsporum sp., Nocardia brasiliensis, Sporobolomyces salmonicolor |
| Korean Panax Ginseng | 1/2 | Cryptococcus neoformans |
| St. John’s Wort | 1/2 | Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus sp., Cryptococcus sp. |
| Turmeric | 1/2 | Aspergillus sp., Candida tropicalis, Penicillium sp., Nocardia brasiliensis |
| Valerian Root | 2/2 | Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger, Candida sp., Cryptococcus sp., Pseudomonas sp. |
| Sundown Naturals | ||
| Echinacea | 1/2 | Bacillus subtilis, Nocardia brasiliensis |
| Ginseng Xtra | 1/2 | Aspergillus flavus, Bacillus subtilis, Nocardia brasiliensis, Rhizopus sp. |
| St. John’s Wort | 1/2 | Aspergillus fumigatus |
| Stress Formula | 2/2 | Bacillus subtilis, Cryptococcus sp., Nocardia brasiliensis, Trichophyton sp. |
| Turmeric | 0/2 | none |
| Valerian Root | 1/2 | Aspergillus fumigatus, Bacillus subtilis, Candida sp., Nocardia brasiliensis, Trichophyton terrestre |