American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) > About Us > Committees > Tea & Infusion Products Committee

Tea & Infusion Products Committee

Co-Chairs: Richard Enticott (Meridian Trading) and Kristina Tucker (The Republic of Tea)
Staff Contact: Michael McGuffin

Committee Purpose:

  • To promote and protect responsible commerce of tea products.
  • To develop ideas to address emerging challenges to teas.
  • To maintain attention to regulatory and state or federal legislative activities related to teas or the ingredients used within.
  • To create "best practices" for manufacturers/marketers, and develop appropriate standards for the manufacture, labeling, and marketing of tea products.

AHPA Members, if you would like to join this committee, please email the staff contact.

Committee Resources

Committee Meeting Minutes

Committee-Related News

AHPA publishes educational materials for prevention of pyrrolizidine alkaloid contamination

August 2021: Educational Tools can be downloaded from AHPA Website

In addition to the recent update to the AHPA guidance on Good agricultural and collection practices and good manufacturing practices for botanical materials (AHPA GACP-GMP) addressing prevention of pyrrolizidine alkaloid (PA) contamination, AHPA has developed educational resources that finished product marketers and botanical ingredient companies can provide to their supply chains to help educate farm managers and workers about best practices for avoidance of PA contamination.

Guidance on allergens in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

Free guidance for AHPA members

AHPA has published a revised version of the guidance document titled “Compliance with the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) for Marketers of Chinese Herbal Products” to include the requirements of the recently adopted Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education, and Research Act of 2021 (FASTER Act), which adds sesame to the list of major food allergens that require labeling in the United States. The new requirements in the FASTER Act amend the definition of “major food allergen” in FALCPA and take effect on January 1, 2023.

“Phase One” agreement with China provides some relief to supplement importers

January 2020: Reduced tariffs will affect imports filed after February 14

A partial trade agreement signed by the United States and China on January 15, 2020, will reduce U.S.-imposed tariffs on some imported Chinese goods used by U.S. dietary supplement and food companies, but it will leave tariffs on other commodities in place, at least for the short term.

FAQs: CA Prop 65 listing of nickel (soluble compounds)

Free guidance for AHPA members

On October 26, 2018, the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) listed “nickel (soluble compounds)” as a chemical known to the state to cause reproductive toxicity under Proposition 65. The listing went into effect for soluble nickel compounds on October 26, 2019. Companies need to be aware of the new Prop 65 requirements for certain products that expose consumers to soluble nickel compounds and should refer to the current Proposition 65 requirements to determine the appropriate format and content of any warnings necessary for their products.

CA Prop 65 Guidance for Tea and Infusion Products

Free guidance for tea and infusion products companies

AHPA has posted this free guidance to help tea and infusion product companies understand, navigate and mitigate liabilities related to California's Proposition 65 (the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986). Since July 2016, numerous companies that sell or manufacture tea and infusion products, primarily marketers of branded finished products, have been the subject of complaints alleging violation of California's Prop 65 for failure to provide the required warnings.

AHPA continues EPA advocacy to expand crop groups to cover more botanical commodities

November 2019: EPA proposes two new crop groups to cover herbs and spices

In comments submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) this week, AHPA continued to encourage the agency to expand its use of its crop grouping regulations by including more botanical commodities in two proposed new crop groups to help ensure that all of the minor crop botanical commodities marketed in the U.S. are covered by federal regulations.

U.S. increases and proposes expansion of tariffs on Chinese imports

May 2019: China announces additional tariffs on any plant mainly used as a spice

The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced on May 9 that it increased tariffs on approximately $200 billion worth of Chinese imports initially identified in September 2018 from 10 percent to 25 percent.

Guidance on California Proposition 65 for herbal products

Updated August 2018, this guidance covers heavy metals, naturally occurring substances and two processed botanicals

Updated Proposition 65 guidance informs the herbal products industry about legal liabilities related to naturally occurring substances in some natural products sold in the state of California
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