Do You Know What “USP” Means in the Term “USP Ingredient”?

You may have heard the term USP Ingredient, but do you know what “USP” stands for? USP stands for United States Pharmacopoeia. A pharmacopoeia is a book containing a compilation of pharmaceutical products with their chemical formulas and methods of preparation. This word derives from Ancient Greek and literally means “drug making”. The United States Pharmacopeia is the official pharmacopoeia of the US and is published dually with the National Formulary as the USP-NF. The USP establishes written standards for medicines, food ingredients, other ingredients, and dietary supplement products. Manufacturers, as well as regulatory agencies, use the USP to ensure products have the appropriate identity, quality, purity, strength, consistency, etc. These standards help limit the introduction of potential adulterants and other problems at the ingredient level.

When you see the letters “USP” on a product label, this means that the manufacturer is claiming to adhere to the USP standards. In addition to this, the United States Pharmacopoeia Convention conducts testing and audit programs for dietary supplement products and ingredients. Products that meet the requirements of the program can display the “USP Verified Dietary Supplement Mark” on their labels, which is different from simply having “USP” on a product’s label.

With an abundance of world-class seaports within a few short hours, our Florida chemical supply company is positioned as the “go to” supplier for companies needing USP ingredients. Check out our USP ingredients page for a list of the USP ingredients, as well as other chemical products we offer. Give us a call today at 407-339-BELL (2355) to place an order!