FAKE ALOE VERA PRODUCTS FOUND ON MAJOR RETAILERS’ SHELVES

East County News Service

November 25, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) — Gels derived from aloe vera plants are prized by consumers for use on skin conditions and minor burns. But testing of store brands at Wal-Mart, Target and CVS found that some contained no aloe vera at all.

The tests were done by Bloomberg News.  All of the products listed aloe vera juice as the first or second ingredient.  But chemical markers for aloe were completely absent in most, with a cheaper substitute ingredient detected by the testing. Another house brand sold by Walgreens had just one of the markers.

Target has declined comment, the Chicago Tribune reports.  But the other retailers have disputed the findings, insisting their suppliers confirmed authenticity of the ingredients.

Fruit of the Earth, a Texas firm, has indicated it made the store brands for Wal-Mart, Target and Walgreens using a Florida supplier and fair-trade, organic aloe from Guatemala.  The company disputes the testing technique used.

But independent lab tests later confirmed no evidence of aloe in the products.

In addition to testing house brands, ConsumerLab.com also tested a dozen major brand-name aloe products and found only half met labeling claims.

Lawsuits have been filed against all four major retailers by attorneys seeking class action status. "No reasonable person would have purchased or used the products if they knew the products did not contain any aloe vera,'‘ one complaint filed in Illinois reads.

According to the National Institute for Health, use of aloe can be traced back to the ancient Egyptians, who considered it a plant of immortality. It is considered safe for topical use and may be useful for conditions such as psoriasis and rashes, according to the NIH, though there is not enough scientific evidence to prove the effectiveness of some other applications.

For now, it’s buyer beware when it comes to aloe products sold for topical applications, since these are considered cosmetics and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not require pre-approval before sale.  So while aloe used in food, drinks or supplements is subject to regulation, no such rules apply to aloe gels

Fortunately, there is a simple solution for consumers in doubt:  grow your own.  Aloe vera are succulent plants that require little water and are easy to grow in Southern California’s sunny climate.  Just break off a small piece to squeeze out the gel inside, saving money and the prospect of not getting what you paid for.