Proprietary Blends Explained
What a proprietary blend is, why companies use them, and why they make comparison hard.
A proprietary blend lists a group of ingredients with one total weight, but not the amount of each ingredient. It’s allowed under federal labeling rules, but it means you can’t tell how much of any individual ingredient you’re getting — so SuppScout flags it under ingredient transparency.
- Only the blend’s total weight is disclosed.
- Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight.
- You can’t compare individual ingredient amounts across products.
How a blend appears on a label
A label might show “Relaxation Blend 750 mg: magnesium glycinate, L-theanine, chamomile extract, GABA”. Ingredients in a blend must be listed in descending order of weight, but individual amounts aren’t shown.
Why companies use them
Companies say blends protect formulations from being copied. They also make it impossible for shoppers to see whether an ingredient is present in a meaningful amount.
How SuppScout handles blends
Products with proprietary blends are marked “Proprietary blend — amounts not disclosed” under ingredient transparency, and we don’t calculate cost per standardized amount for ingredients whose amounts are hidden.
Sources & references
- 21 CFR 101.36 — Nutrition labeling of dietary supplements. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. ecfr.govRegulatory
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