Aloe Science Group Quells Beverage Concerns

The International Aloe Science Council (IASC) has responded to negative publicity on Aloe vera, which was published by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) this summer. The consumer watchdog claims that oral consumption of aloe may lead to cramps and diarrhea.

In its response, the IASC cites the different processing used methods used to make conventional aloe products such as whole leaf aloe juice and aloe gel. These processing steps usually filter out a compound called aloin, which is frequently cited in scientific literature as causing the potential digestive conflicts mentioned by CSPI.

A “vast majority” of commercial aloe vera beverages, says the IASC, filter out aloin through a charcoal filtration step. And any IASC-certified aloe product must meet a standard aloin limit of no more than 10 parts per million.

Several aloe safety studies are published in scientific journals, including at least three published earlier this year. For more information on aloe, visit the IASC online.