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Building a Balanced Formula
Quality Assurance
Path to the Market
Another Way
Origins of the Four
A Snap for Kids
Out of The Woods
Caps Versus Powder
Contraindications
Safety and Chinese Herbs

GMP or Good Manufacturing Process is the world standard for quality assurance. All personnel that work on the production of our formulas have undergone training in GMP methods. There are more than ten pharmacists and Chinese physicians taking care of supervision, production, quality control, packing, inspection, research, information, academic, and other aspects of operations. Also retained are distinguished experts and renowned professors in Chinese medicine from Taiwan and other countries to serve as technical consultants.

Raw material tests cover origin, description, functional inspection, tissue identification, principal ingredients analysis, heavy metals limit test, and other related tests. Once a material has passed initial inspection, it is put in cold storage until needed for production.

Qualified slices are checked for weight and composition of the various elements before being dispensed into dosage forms. These dosages are formed into in-process products and then wait for additional examination and analysis before cooking. Packaged in-process products are delivered to quarantine areas to await further inspection according to product specification.

Thin-layer chromatography is used to compare the in-process products with test samples. Measurements and photographs are used together with high-performance liquid chromatography. These include both qualitative and quantitative analysis.

The utmost caution is taken during production to prevent cross contamination between various contents. Strict control over fungus and other potential health hazards in the environment is exercised through rigorous programs of production and quality control.

Waste water is treated according to qualified equipment waste water engineers. The water supply system and boiler apparatus are also strictly regulated to prevent pollution from being imposed on the medicine as well as on the environment.

Finished product tests include weight loss in evaporation and drying; measurement of total ash content, measurement of acid-insoluble ash, measurement of dilute ethanol-soluble extractive, measurement of water-soluble extractive, inspection of foreign matter, and other identification tests. Other material tests cover packing, marking, and labeling material. Containers and caps are inspected.

Labels are counted, inspected, and sorted according to specific products before delivery to a separate store room where admission is strictly controlled. Packaged products are rechecked to ensure correctness. They have an inner seals and outer, tamper-evident closures or shrink wrap.

OHCO's samplers are assembled at resource centers employing those with developmental disabilities. The work is done under careful supervision. One group uses heat sealed bags and the other zip lock baggies. Each box is taped shut to prevent tampering. Random checks are made by OHCO to assure quality control.