▁ ▁Reg ulation ▁N ut race ut ical s ▁are ▁treated ▁differently ▁in ▁different ▁juris dict ions . ▁ ▁Canada ▁ ▁Under ▁Canadian ▁law , ▁a ▁nut race ut ical ▁can ▁either ▁be ▁market ed ▁as ▁a ▁food ▁or ▁as ▁a ▁drug ; ▁the ▁terms ▁" nut race ut ical " ▁and ▁" function al ▁food " ▁have ▁no ▁legal ▁distinction , ▁referring ▁to ▁" a ▁product ▁isolated ▁or ▁pur ified ▁from ▁food s ▁that ▁is ▁generally ▁sold ▁in ▁medic inal ▁forms ▁not ▁usually ▁associated ▁with ▁food ▁[ and ] ▁is ▁demonstrated ▁to ▁have ▁a ▁phys i ological ▁benefit ▁or ▁provide ▁protection ▁against ▁chron ic ▁disease ." ▁ ▁United ▁States ▁The ▁terms ▁" nut race ut ical " ▁and ▁' bio ce ut ical ' ▁are ▁not ▁defined ▁by ▁US ▁law . ▁ ▁Depending ▁on ▁its ▁ing red ients ▁and ▁the ▁claims ▁with ▁which ▁it ▁is ▁market ed , ▁a ▁product ▁is ▁reg ulated ▁as ▁a ▁drug , ▁di et ary ▁supp lement , ▁food ▁ing red ient , ▁or ▁food . ▁ ▁International ▁sources ▁In ▁the ▁global ▁market , ▁there ▁are ▁significant ▁product ▁quality ▁issues . ▁N ut race ut ical s ▁from ▁the ▁international ▁market ▁may ▁claim ▁to ▁use ▁organ ic ▁or ▁ex otic ▁ing red ients , ▁yet ▁the ▁lack ▁of ▁reg ulation ▁may ▁comprom ise ▁the ▁safety ▁and ▁effect iveness ▁of ▁products . ▁Comp an ies ▁looking ▁to ▁create ▁a ▁wide ▁profit ▁margin ▁may ▁create ▁un reg ulated ▁products ▁over se as ▁with ▁low - quality ▁or ▁in effect