Emergen-C is an effervescent, powdered

drink mix A drink mix is a processed-food product, designed to mix usually with water to produce a beverage resembling fruit juice or soda in flavor. Another type of drink mix is represented by products that are mixed into milk. It is traditionally made i ...

vitamin supplement A multivitamin is a preparation intended to serve as a dietary supplement with vitamins, dietary minerals, and other nutritional elements. Such preparations are available in the form of tablets, capsules, pastilles, powders, liquids, or injectab ...

manufactured by Alacer Corp. The Emergen-C product line was introduced in 1978. Alacer was established as a private company in 1972, focusing on vitamin supplements containing

vitamin C Vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid and ascorbate) is a water-soluble vitamin found in citrus and other fruits and vegetables, also sold as a dietary supplement and as a topical 'serum' ingredient to treat melasma (dark pigment spots) an ...

. The company was acquired by

Pfizer Pfizer Inc. ( ) is an American multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporation headquartered on 42nd Street in Manhattan, New York City. The company was established in 1849 in New York by two German entrepreneurs, Charles Pfizer ...

in 2012. In 2019, Pfizer consumer healthcare entered a joint venture with GSK. The brand is owned by

Haleon Haleon plc is a British multinational consumer healthcare company with headquarters in Weybridge, England. It is the largest consumer healthcare business in the world, with brands including Sensodyne toothpaste, Panadol Paracetamol, also kno ...

since 18 July 2022. It contains, depending on the variety, 16 times the

, 4 times the vitamin B₁₂, and 5 times the vitamin B₆ of the

USDA The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of com ...

Reference Daily Intake The Reference Daily Intake (RDI) used in nutrition labeling on food and dietary supplement products in the U.S. and Canada is the daily intake level of a nutrient that is considered to be sufficient to meet the requirements of 97–98% of health ...

based on a 2000

calorie The calorie is a unit of energy. For historical reasons, two main definitions of "calorie" are in wide use. The large calorie, food calorie, or kilogram calorie was originally defined as the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of on ...

diet. Some versions include

calcium Calcium is a chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. As an alkaline earth metal, calcium is a reactive metal that forms a dark oxide-nitride layer when exposed to air. Its physical and chemical properties are most similar to ...

glucosamine Glucosamine (C6H13NO5) is an amino sugar and a prominent precursor in the biochemical synthesis of glycosylated proteins and lipids. Glucosamine is part of the structure of two polysaccharides, chitosan and chitin. Glucosamine is one of the most ...

quercetin Quercetin is a plant flavonol from the flavonoid group of polyphenols. It is found in many fruits, vegetables, leaves, seeds, and grains; capers, red onions, and kale are common foods containing appreciable amounts of it. It has a bitter flavor a ...

lycopene Lycopene is an organic compound classified as a tetraterpene and a carotene. Lycopene (from the neo-Latin ''Lycopersicum'', the tomato species) is a bright red carotenoid hydrocarbon found in tomatoes and other red fruits and vegetables. Occu ...

Manufacturing

Pharmaceutical firm GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is moving forward on plans to close its manufacturing plant in Carlisle, PA by mid-2021, several regional news organizations reported this week. Production of Emergen-C powdered Vitamin C supplement drink mix products at the site will be shifted to a facility in Puerto Rico.

Ingredients

GMO ingredients are used. From the Alacer website: "We have chosen to source materials that are non-GMO whenever possible. That being said, we cannot guarantee that all of our raw materials are sourced from non-GMO ingredients and do not currently have this requirement in place for our vendors". Most products do not contain animal-derived ingredients, but some certain products contain

chondroitin A chondroitin is a chondrin derivative. Types include: * Chondroitin sulfate * Dermatan sulfate Chondroitin as a supplement is now commonly used (often in combination with glucosamine) in treating the joint disease of osteoarthritis Osteoarthr ...

from cows,

honey Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of plants (primar ...

, and vitamin D₃ from wool.

Emergen-C Class Action Lawsuit

In December 2013, a superior court judge preliminarily approved a $6.45 million settlement to a class-action lawsuit filed against Alacer Corp. for allegedly deceptively marketing the supplement Emergen-C. The complaint, which was originally filed earlier in the year, alleges that the company misleadingly represents that the supplement will provide health benefits – including reducing the risk of or preventing colds and flu – without scientific evidence to support such claims. According to the settlement terms, class members may receive a refund of up to $36 with proof of purchase. (''Wong et al v. Alacer Corp.,'' Case No. CGC-12-519221, Superior Court of California County of San Francisco). A superior court judge gave final approval of the settlement to this lawsuit in June 2014.

Outreach

In 1997, Alacer established The Emergen-C Fund, which has raised more than $650,000. This fund provides support to

Vitamin Angels A vitamin is an organic molecule (or a set of molecules closely related chemically, i.e. vitamers) that is an essential micronutrient that an organism needs in small quantities for the proper functioning of its metabolism. Essential nutrien ...

Surfrider Foundation The Surfrider Foundation USA is a U.S. 501(c)(3) grassroots non-profit environmental organization that works to protect and preserve the world's oceans, waves and beaches. It focuses on water quality, beach access, beach and surf spot preservati ...

, Keep A Breast Foundation,

Young Survival Coalition Young Survival Coalition (YSC) is an international organization focusing on women ages 40 and under who are diagnosed with breast cancer. Founded in 1998 by three young women with breast cancer, YSC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit based in New York Cit ...

, and

Whole Foods Whole Foods Market IP, Inc., a subsidiary of Amazon, is an upscale American multinational supermarket chain headquartered in Austin, Texas, which sells products free from hydrogenated fats and artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. A USDA ...

' Whole Planet Foundation. Alacer sponsors

Operation Gratitude The South China Sea raid (designated Operation Gratitude) was an operation conducted by the United States Third Fleet between 10 and 20 January 1945 during the Pacific War of World War II. The raid was undertaken to support the liberation of L ...

, a volunteer organization that has sent care packages to U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2008 Emergen-C teamed up with surf artist

Jay Alders Jay Alders is an American fine artist, photographer and graphic designer. He is best known for his original surf art paintings, live painting and is a well-known profile in surf culture for his work with musicians, artists and cause organizat ...

to create art for the packaging of their new product/flavor, Emergen-C Blue, with 25 cents donated to

for each box sold.Emergen-C , Surfrider Foundation
. Retrieved 2013 November 29.

References

External links