Brattleboro, Vt.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) does not regulate supplements under its National Organic Program (NOP) because most supplements by and large are not considered food. But one company hopes to change that view by being the first to create a formulation of multivitamins made with organic food ingredients.

New Chapter Inc. has re-launched its probiotic multivitamin line, which includes more than 20 different products, using the standards of the USDA’s National Organic Program as a guideline.

“Most people would prefer to get their nutrients from food, and organic food if possible,” says Tom Newmark, president of New Chapter and co-author of, “The Life Bridge: The Way to Longevity with Probiotic Nutrients.” “So we’ve taken organic fruits and vegetables and fermented them with vitamins and minerals to bio-transform the nutrients into a whole food made with organic ingredients.”

New Chapter is the first supplement company that has voluntarily had its multivitamin probiotics reviewed and approved to NOP standards by a USDA-accredited, third-party certifier.

“Last year, I issued a challenge to New Chapter to create a truly organic multivitamin,” said Katherine DiMatteo, executive director of the Organic Trade Association. “The company proved to the supplement industry that it could indeed be done.”

Newmark feels this will set a new criterion for the industry, and is optimistic that the USDA will eventually include supplements under the umbrella of the National Organic Program.

“Consumers want to be assured that they are purchasing products that are truly organic,” says Newmark, “but regulation is sorely needed if we plan to expand the organic movement.”