BAFEP Resources

Guidelines for Essence Production, Labelling and Advertising (2006)

The British Association of Flower Essence Producers

These guidelines for good practice for the production of flower and vibrational essences that are available to the public in the UK.

Few people would be expected to follow everything immediately they start to make essences. However this information should be acted on where possible and as soon as is practical.

By aiming at understanding of where the production of essences is controlled by the laws and regimens of the society in which we live, BAFEP works towards ensuring we all have the freedom to make and use essences in the future.

1. Setting up a dedicated workspace for making up essences

Since at the moment essences are classified as a food (other categories available are cosmetic and medicine), all rules and regulations for Food Hygiene are technically applicable. In any doubt, please visit your Environmental Health Department and talk it over with them before picking up your hammer or taking out a loan, just to ensure you get it right! They are very helpful and since you are not preparing food, there is flexibility.

This is what you should be aiming at in an ideal situation is a dedicated space:

• An easily cleaned area made of plastic/formica NOT wood. Cleanable cupboards, washable walls, shelves and lino flooring. Ideally worktops and floors should be sealed. This is really like a normal kitchen.
• In a dedicated space you must have two sinks, one for washing equipment and one for washing hands. These sinks need to be labelled. A bottle of antibacterial hand wash should be on hand. Double sinks have proved to be adequate.
• No animals should be allowed in the area, or outside coats or shoes. Overalls are advised as are plastic gloves and hair-coverings.
• Sterilising equipment.
• A liquid sanitiser (antibacterial surface wash), preferably biodegradable may be advisable, although alcohol is quite good!

Should you be investigated for some reason you will be advised at what you need to rectify and given time to do the work.

2. Making Essences without a Permanent Dedicated Space.

The Women's Institute Markets have built up a very responsible position in the campaign for food safety. Their guidelines are ideal for those just beginning the process of making essences for sale or for those who have a very small production with no permanent dedicated space.

These procedures would need to be followed EVERY time essences are prepared.

The points are as follows:

• Environmental Health officers have to right to inspect premises without notice.
• All involved should obtain a Foundation Food Hygiene Certificate and attend the refresher course every 3 years.
• In the room to be used there must be an overall atmosphere of cleanliness.
• An adequate supply of hot water, detergent, nailbrush and disposable towels, clean utensils and worktops.
• Have removed any pets and their bedding.
• Have the room free from laundry and outerwear.
• Have first aid materials readily available.
• Thoroughly clean and disinfect all work surfaces using food friendly cleaners.
• Label according to the DEFRA guidelines.

Personal information:

• Have a professional attitude to personal cleanliness, risks of contamination.
• No smoking.
• Wear protective clothing and hair covering.
• Do not prepare items when you or a member of the family is unwell, especially after a cold or stomach disorder.
• Cuts or abrasions are covered with a suitable dressing.
• Hands are thoroughly washed regularly.

Further information:

Food Hygiene (England) Regulations 2006

Food Safety Act 1990

3. Bottling Guidelines

Essences that are intended or may be used internally, are treated as foods, As such they are subject to food production laws (Health & Safety: Food Hygiene) and food labelling laws (DEFRA Regulations.)

• If you are intending to sell essences you make and maybe even if you are mixing dosage bottles for people, you should consider doing the Foundation Food Hygiene Certificate. This is usually a day course, offered at most colleges, cost around £40-45.
• The site for bottling needs to comply with food guidelines.
• You must ensure that the essence is bacterially inactive. This can be achieved by sterilisation, proper handling and a preservative.
• Sterilisation of your bottles is an option even though alcohol at certain levels tends to stop bacterial growth. Alcohol content of over 40% is often needed to ensure no growths.
• Basic personal hygiene, and monitoring of the environment will ensure no contamination occurs.
• Preservative - this has traditionally been brandy. You might opt for vodka, glycerol, or a vinegar as long as you are sure the dilutions are correct to prevent bacterial growth.
• Tamper-evident bottles/bottle-tops are advisable when selling to the public.
• Literature and advertising must comply to presentlaws and it is important that this also complies with Medicines and Health Products Regulatory Agency Guidelines.

Labelling Law

Flower and vibrational essences that are for ingestion are treated as foods and are subject to food production laws (Health & Hygiene) and labelling law, (DEFRA regulations).

If you don't label you essences as 'external use only' ingestion will be assumed. However, 'external use only' suggests a cosmetic, and more regulations apply, including a need to have an independent laboratory analysis.

The Food Labelling Regulations 1996, Document 1499.

• The name of the food [to include what it is i.e. essence etc]
• A list of ingredients [in descending order of volume or weight]
• The appropriate durability indication [expiry date/best before date, batch number]
• Any special storage conditions or conditions of use
• The name or business name and an address [post code is OK, telephone number is not OK]
• The manufacturer or packer or
• The seller established within the EC
• Particulars of the place of origin or provenance, if failure to do could mislead
• Instructions for use [unless label is less than 10 sq.cms - then this can be omitted]
• Volume of the bottle needs to be on the label in a readable size.

2004: Following six months of debate with Trading Standards, the Public Analyst, food Standards Agency and the Medicines and Health Products Regulatory Agency, extra guidelines are these:

In the ingredients listing,

• If you use the words 'spring water' you have to say which spring.
• Brandy (or vodka) should be stated, not grape alcohol.
• The words 'highly diluted extracts of the flowers' are fine, followed by a list of plants.
• You can also add the percentage by volume of alcohol.
• Do not use '5x' or something similar to describe dilution.

The name of the product-this complies with MHRA Guidelines

Also on the boxes, labels or literature could be a statement that the essences are believed to "capture the positive spirit of each flower"

Followed by a list of each flower (or other sources) with a few MHRA compliant words about the emotional qualities of the spirit of the essence source.

This has become the best guidance we have from ALL agencies on how to label and describe our products.

An Excerpt from Medicines and Health Products Regulatory Agency Guidance

Note No 8 (Previously MAL8) March 2002

With respect to Words and Phrases that the MHRA associate with Medicines

You are strongly advised to avoid these words and phrases when describing essences as they may contribute to the MHRA determining that essences described with these words are medicines and need the necessary licenses.

This list is not exhaustive

• Alleviates
• At the first sign of......
• Avoids
• Boosts the immune system
• Burns fat
• Calm/calms/calming
• Can benefit those who suffer from......
• Can lower cholesterol
• Clears
• Clinical Trials evidence
• Clinically proven
• Combats
• Controls
• Counteracts
• Cure/cures
• Eliminates
• Fights
• Heals
• Helps body adjust after crossing time zones
• Increases metabolic rate
• Is said to help with.......
• Medical research.....
• Prevents/preventing
• Protects against
• Remedies
• Removes
• Repairs
• Restores
• Stimulates the nervous systems
• Stops
• Stops craving for.....
• Strengthens the immune system
• Strips off sun-damaged pre-cancerous cells
• Traditionally used for
• Treats/clears infestations
• Treats/treatment/treating

Although words in themselves do not define 'medicines' bear in mind that essences come in little bottles and are usually taken by mouth. Therefore they already have a tenuous hold in the Foods category. Please don't let careless use of words or attachment to market forces endanger the future of essences.

6. Advertising:

The law makes it an offence to take part in the publication of any advertisement referring to any article of any description in terms which are calculated to lead to the use of that article for the purpose of treating human beings for any of the following diseases: Bright's Disease; Glaucoma; Cataract; Locomotor Ataxy; Diabetes Paralysis; Epilepsy or fits; Tuberculosis.

It is also an offence to publish any advertisement which:

• offers to treat or prescribe a remedy or advice for cancer, or
• refers to any article in terms calculated to lead to its use in the treatment of cancer.

7. HACCP Explained (with help from Healing Herbs)

As Flower Essences are classified as foods in the UK a HACCP plan is an important measure that can be incorporated into a business to show that all necessary safety procedures are being taken to adequately meet current Food Safety Regulations.

HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point. It is used to examine a company's system by looking at the product produced and the processes used to do this, identifying all steps in the products cycle of development which are critical to food safety. (A Hazard Analysis).

For each process used in the development of the product, three hazard types are evaluated:

• Biological/Microbiological Hazards - These are commonly caused by contamination of ingredients, improper cooling, poor sanitation, poor personal hygiene and cross contamination.
• Chemical Hazards - These include agricultural/horticultural chemicals, industrial chemicals, naturally occurring toxicants, environmental contaminants and food chemicals.
• Physical Hazards - These could be debris in raw materials, contamination during food processing, materials entering food during distribution and intentional tampering.

Any hazard identified is then assessed to produce a hazard severity and risk score and Critical Control Points are established. A CCP is a step at which control can be applied and is essential to prevent, eliminate or reduce a food safety hazard to an acceptable level.

Critical limits, the maximum or minimum value to which a physical, chemical or biological parameter must be controlled at a CCP, are also established. These limits need to be continually followed in work practice.

The Critical Control Points should then be monitored in the work place, with a planned sequence of observations and measurements repeatedly carried out, ensuring each CCP is adhered to, that safety controls are in place, maintained and reviewed. (HACCP assessment forms are used for this).

Although individual companies need to devise their own safety procedures relating exclusively to themselves, at Healing Herbs in 2002 the following CCPs were adopted (they will have now been updated to fall into line with recent legislation - see *).

• CCP1 - Personal hygiene (a biological/microbiological and physical hazard). To eliminate this people wash hands on starting work in a new area, wear protective personal awareness, aided by staff completion of a Foundation Food Hygiene Course.
• CCP2 - Receipt and store of raw materials and packaging (a physical hazard). To overcome this all goods are checked on arrival for damage and dirt and return any breached materials to the supplier. Continual monitoring our goods throughout production for glass breakages or contamination, disposing of any that are not adequate.
• CCP3 - Setting up labelling machine, printing and labelling (a physical hazard). To avoid any problems here people observe for glass shards, use clean bags and trays, routinely clean machinery and handle bottles with care.
• CCP4 - Preparation of filling room and adding mother tincture to brandy (a biological/microbiological, chemical and physical hazard). To prevent hazards here people observe for any glass shards, use 40% Abv brandy which kills any biological contaminants, practice good personal hygiene and use eco friendly cleaning agents.
• CCP5 - Assembly of 40 bottles into sets and alcohol awareness. All bottles are sleeved to safeguard against intentional tampering and label our product showing that it contains brandy.

Thus, the main safety issue at Healing Herbs is contamination of our product. This is controlled by the use of 40% Abv. Brandy, which would kill anything of this nature. All other safety issues concern glass, which is controlled for at every step in our product production.

HACCP was initially developed in America, in the 1960's, in a quest for quality and safety in the Food and Drink Industry. It has been constantly developed and was last amended and approved by UN/FAO in 1997.

Hazard Analysis is a requirement under the Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations (1995), which came into force out of the EU Directive 93/43/EEC, to identify all steps in production activities which are critical to food safety, and then, to ensure adequate safety controls are in place, maintained and reviewed. This applies to anyone who sells or processes food (except those in primary food production) and HACCP is a recommended way in which to meet the requirements of these current regulations, helping to ensure business success, profitability and growth.

* The EU regulations have now adopted the 7 principles in the Codex alimentarius:

• Identify potential Hazards
• Determine points/procedures/operational steps that can be controlled to eliminate hazards(CCP).
• Establish critical limits which must be met to ensure CCP is under control
• Establish a monitoring system
• Establish corrective action when monitoring indicates CCP not under control
• Establish verification procedures
• Establish suitable documentation concerning all procedures

8. How are you going to put HACCP in place?

You make your own, review it yourself, control the hazards and keep a full record of any problems. That's it.

• Make a full list of every process involved in manufacture.
• List all possible hazards throughout all processes.
• Determine what are the hazards.
• Physical: for instance broken glass in product.
• Biological: for instance bacteria growing in product.
• Chemical: for instance contamination of the product.
• Evaluate the degree of possibility that any hazard will occur.
• for no possibility
• for possible but unlikely
• for likely
• for almost certain
• Evaluate the degree of danger to the end user should any hazard occur. This involves assigning a value to the risk:
• for no danger
• for mild
• for medium
• for severe
• For each risk allocate a points score like this:
• Critical Control Point No 1: Incoming Goods
• Process: incoming supply of glass bottles.
• Hazard: that there is contamination from the transport vehicle (eg oil) which may transfer to the product. Risk: assessed as 2 Hazard: assessed as 1 Overall point score of 3 out of a possible 6 but anything which scores above 0 still needs to be considered. Action: examine all incoming goods and determine if packaging is damaged and if goods are dirty. Deviation Report: if goods are damaged or dirty record the delivery date, consignment etc and the action taken: to remedy the problem and zero the risks/hazard to ensure that future supplies are better.

As you work through the whole production process it will emerge that there are a number of Critical Control Points:

• Delivery of goods
• Labelling bottles
• Filling bottles
• Storage of materials etc etc

Where these HACCP occur you need to have an active plan in place to analyse the problem and record, using a 'deviation report form', when it occurs and what was done to make good.

A couple of obvious pointers are:

• the risk of bacterial contamination is high if you fill bottles in your kitchen on the same table as cutting up meat for the dog. The stage of production therefore becomes a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point. What you decide to do to reduce the hazard and the degree of risk is up to you but your HACCP plan should look at the problem and record how you propose to limit the risk.
• the chemical contamination of your essence making bowls is probably low but if you wash them in detergent is there a possibility of that creeping into the mother essence? Or is there a degree of risk associated with the water used?
• in food production the biggest risk is microbiological and if we use alcohol as a preservative then that is sorted. But what strength of alcohol is required for the finished product to be certainly safe?

HACCP planning is not difficult to do but requires some thought and time to make your plan. Once it is done keep the folder with your active files and use it as a constant record for all actions taken that refer to control of good manufacturing practice.

There is now a requirement for the person(s) responsible for the implementation and monitoring of the HACCP To have been adequately trained

Download the guide as a .pdf

History

BAFEP is the trade association for producers of Bach Flower Remedies and other types of Essences, both in the UK/EU and beyond. It sets and maintains standards of production, labelling and advertising in accordance with the guidelines as laid down by various UK governmental agencies.

BAFEP also keeps abreast of the ever-changing politics within both the UK and EU that concern essences both now and in the future. For the general public BAFEP provides a listing of over 50 essence producers (including 8 who produce Bach Flower Remedy ranges according to the traditional instructions laid down by Dr Edward Bach) who abide by BAFEP standards and are entitled to use the BAFEP logo in their literature and labelling.

BAFEP welcomes non-UK/EU members, on condition that they meet the essence production and labelling requirements of their country and should their essences be imported into the UK/EU, their labelling and literature also meet UK/EU requirements.

BAFEP produces a guideline booklet about labelling, literature, Health & Safety etc. Free on application for contact details, view the contact page.

AIMS:

1. To represent the interests of essence producers.
2. To set and maintain standards.
3. To represent producers interests to other parties and to be a consultative body for advice.

The British Association of Flower Essence Producers Constitution & Code of Conduct

1. NAME

1. The Association shall be known as the "British Association of Flower Essence Producers" (hereinafter referred to as "the Association") and also by the acronym "BAFEP".
2. The name, symbols and acronym BAFEP may not be used for any purpose whatsoever without the prior written permission of the Association's Executive Committee (as hereinafter defined).

2. AIMS

The aims of the Association (hereinafter referred to as "Aims") shall be:

1. To be an association to represent the interests of persons engaged in the production of Flower and/or other Essences.
2. To set and maintain standards of production and promotion of Flower and/or other Essences.
3. To act as a consultative body for advice to other parties.

3. OFFICERS

1. The Officers of the Association shall consist of a Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer (hereinafter these officers shall collectively be referred to as the "Statutory" Officers of the Association) plus up to four further voting members and such other non-voting members as may be co-opted from time to time by the Statutory Officers.
2. Of the Statutory Officers, the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer shall also be designated as the Signatory Officers of the Association.

4. MANAGEMENT

1. The business of the Association shall be conducted by the Executive Committee (hereinafter referred to as "the Committee") which shall consist of the Officers of the Association as defined in Clause 3.
2. The responsibility for the operation and conduct of the affairs of the Association shall rest with the Committee, which shall meet at least once annually and otherwise communicate by fax, e-mail, telephone and/or post as is required to responsibly carry out their duties.
3. Any member may attend meetings of the Committee.
4. The convening of meetings of the Committee is the responsibility of the Chairman or in his/her absence, the Secretary. A minimum of one week's notice of the date and place of any such meeting shall be given in writing by the Secretary to all members of the Committee and any other person(s) so required to attend.
5. For the purposes of conducting the business of the Association during a meeting three voting members of the Committee, at least one of whom shall be a Signatory Officer, shall form a quorum.

5. MEMBERSHIP

1. Member. Any person who has satisfactorily completed an application form* for membership to the Association and agreed to pay the appropriate annual subscription for membership of the Association current at that time.
2. Expulsion. The Committee shall be empowered to expel from the Association any member whose conduct is, in their opinion, injurious or which may tend to be injurious to the interests of the Association or its members or any of its Aims. Before expelling a member the Committee shall investigate the circumstances and the member shall be given reasonable opportunity to defend and justify themselves in writing or by appearance before the Committee. The decision of the Committee in such cases shall be on a majority vote of those present at the enquiry and shall be confirmed in writing to the member.
3. Ceasing Membership. Any person ceasing to hold membership of the Association for whatever reason shall not have any right to a refund of any membership fees already paid and shall forfeit all rights and privileges of membership, but shall be liable for the return of any property belonging to the Association or any dues or debts to the Association which became payable or were incurred before the date or resignation or expulsion.
4. Overseas Members will have all rights as Members but will pay an additional fee as decided by the Committee from time to time to take into account the extra communication charges.

6. ELECTION OF OFFICERS

1. The Offices of Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer shall run for a term of two years. Retiring Officers may stand for re-election.
2. All Officers must be Members.
3. All Officers shall be elected at the appropriate Annual General Meeting of the Association in accordance with the following rules:
1. Any voting member may nominate any other voting member (other than a member of their immediate family), including themselves, for any of the elective offices provided that the nominator, if not nominating himself, has confirmed with the nominee of his/her willingness to stand for election to the office proposed.
2. Any two nominations received in respect of a voting member for a specified office shall be deemed to constitute a duly proposed and seconded candidate.
3. No voting member may nominate another voting member for more than one office, nor may they nominate more than one member from the same family for any of those offices that shall be also designated as Signatory Officers any such nominations so received shall be deemed invalid.
4. The Committee shall be responsible for advising voting members that nominations for officers of the Association for the coming AGM are due and shall give members not less than four weeks notice of same prior to the date set by the Committee for the return of nominations to the Secretary. Notice shall be given by use of a Nomination Form which shall be sent to all voting members.
5. Only nominations received on the aforesaid Nomination Form shall be deemed valid.
6. All voting shall be by secret ballot.
7. The Committee shall advise members in writing of the date of the Annual General Meeting not less than six weeks prior to said date and shall when appropriate, at the same time or at a time not less than four weeks prior to said date, also send all members with voting rights a Voting Form detailing the nominees for each office due for re-election.
8. Voting members may indicate their order of preference in respect of nominees for a given office by stating their first, second, and subsequent choices. In the event of their first choice withdrawing or being elected to a different office then their vote shall be transferred to their second or subsequent choices.
9. All Voting Forms must be returned to the Secretary in a sealed envelope clearly marked with the initials "AGM". Voting Forms shall be accepted by the Secretary up to the formal close of voting as announced by the Chairman at the Annual General Meeting.
10. The Annual General Meeting shall appoint teller(s) to count the votes submitted and to announce the results when requested to do so by the Chairman of the meeting.
11. A majority vote shall be sufficient to elect a member.
12. In the event of a tie vote being recorded the candidate with the longest previous service on the Committee shall take precedence, or where equal then the candidate with the greatest number of years of membership shall take precedence, or where there is still a tie then a second ballot shall be taken by immediate consensus of the people present at the meeting.
4. Elected officers are required to give one month's notice in writing in the event of their wishing to resign during their term of office. In the event of an Officer resigning, the remaining Officers may appoint a pro tem replacement from amongst those members of the /committee currently not holding office.

7. MEETINGS

1. The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held on a day that falls on a date between lst September and 1st December each year.
2. The agenda of the Annual General Meeting shall be as follows:
1. Apologies for absence.
2. The Minutes of then last Annual General Meeting and matters arising therefrom.
3. The submission by the Officers of reports on the activities of the Association relating to their Office in the preceding year, in the order: Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, and any other committee member authorised by the Chairman to submit a report on behalf of the Committee. The report by the Treasurer shall include an audited statement of accounts showing monies received and expended by the Society during the previous year.
4. The adoption of the reports of the Officers.
5. The consideration of Notices of Motion affecting the Constitution of the Association.
6. The election of the Statutory Officers for the next twenty four months, when appropriate.
7. The consideration of other Notices of Motion.
8. Any other business.
3. Four members present shall constitute a quorum.
4. The adoption of any motion affecting the Constitution shall require a two thirds majority of the members voting at General Meeting; all other Motions shall be decided by a simple majority vote.
5. Notices of Motion shall bear the name of the proposer and seconder and must be submitted in writing to the Secretary not less than fourteen days prior to the date of the General Meeting at which the Motion is to be heard.
6. An Extraordinary General Meeting can be called either by two thirds majority of the Officers in Committee or by petition of any six members of the Association. The reason and purpose of such a meeting shall be circulated to all voting members then in good standing not less than twenty one days prior to the date set and in the case of a petition within ninety days of the petition being submitted to the Committee.
7. The rules governing voting at a General Meeting, shall be those as defined herein for an Annual General Meeting.
8. At a General Meeting the Chairman of the Association shall take the Chair, in their absence the Secretary shall preside, provided that at an Extraordinary General Meeting being held as a result of a petition the petitioning members may request an alternate Chairman for the meeting.

8. FINANCES

1. The Treasurer shall receive all dues, donations, legacies and other income on behalf of the Association and shall be responsible for keeping accurate accounts of all financial transactions and in conjunction with the other Signatory Officers for transacting the financial business of the Association but shall not personally be liable for any of the debts of the Association.
2. The Treasurer shall request payment of all annual subscriptions due to the Association to be made on or about first day of November in each year.
3. The rates of subscription to be paid each year in respect of each type of membership to the Association shall be proposed by the Committee to the members at the Annual General Meeting for their ratification or amendment.
4. For any Member joining for the first time after 1st May in a given year, the rate of subscription for membership for that year shall be halved.
5. The Signatory Officers shall be responsible for all financial transactions of the Association, two out of three being required to sign all cheques on the Association's bank account(s) and all other documents relating to the financial aspects of the Association's operation.

9. PROPERTY

1. All items of stationery and other consumables, including all electronic or optical media whether or not containing data and any files, records or correspondence howsoever pertaining to the affairs of the Association, provided by the Association to any person, excluding any minutes of meetings provided to a member for their own record, are considered at all times to be the property of the Association and shall be returned to the Committee when so requested.

10. CODE OF CONDUCT AND ETHICS APPLICABLE TO MEMBERS

1. The Association expects and charges all of its members to conduct themselves at all times in such manner as to not bring the Association and its good name into disrepute.
2. Each Member shall be required to sign a statement to the effect that she or he has read this Constitution and has agreed to abide by it.

11. ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION

No alteration or repeal of or addition to the rules of the Association shall be made otherwise than by resolution of the members at General Meeting carried by a majority of at least two thirds of the members voting thereon. Proposals for any such alteration, repeal or addition shall be put in writing to the Committee for submission as proper Notices of Motion to such meeting.

12. INTERPRETATION

The Committee shall be the final authority for the interpretation of the rules of the Association and of this Constitution.

13. DISSOLUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION

1. In the event of the dissolution of the Association by agreement of at least two thirds of the members in General Meeting, all funds held by the Association shall be distributed to charities and worthy organisations, as shall be determined by the members then in attendance.
2. There shall be no general refund of subscriptions to the members.

NOTE: The application form for membership states that Members are required to abide by the Constitution/Code of Conduct, and adhere to UK/EU laws as outlined in the BAFEP Guidelines, both of which are published on this website.

The British Association of Flower Essence Producers (BAFEP) Survey 2002

Background

It has long been felt that a full survey should be undertaken to discover the varying methods used in the production and manufacture of flower and vibrational essences in the UK. While the methodology traditionally used in the production of Bach Flower Remedies is well documented [ see E. Bach Twelve Healers & Other Remedies 1936 C.W.Daniel, Weeks & Bullen, Bach Flower Remedies Illustration & Preparation, 1964 C.W.Daniel] other methods have been developed which related directly to the original process. These would inevitably fall within the scope of any proposed legislation and controls.

BAFEP realised at the AGM in 2002 that there would be a need to confirm, justify and prove how essences are made in the UK. To confirm that essences are still made following the guidance laid down by Dr Edward Bach in 1936; to confirm the stance that essence producers have taken proposing that essences are not homoeopathic, not herbal but have a category of their own, most closely aligned to food or living water; to prove the last two by surveying and collating information from the main producers in the UK.

All BAFEP members, the larger producers linked to the British Flower and Vibrational Essences Association and Mount Vernon and NelsonBach were all approached - 40 in all. Of the surveys sent out, 37 were returned (all BAFEP members and 10 of 12 BFVEA members). No response was received from the Bach Centre, Mount Vernon. A very brief response was received from NelsonBach that referred us to the British Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia. A further request for confirmation of their methods of dilution has not elicited a response to date.

The survey was in two parts. Part One was dedicated to those producing ranges of the Bach Flower Remedies. Part Two was for all types of essences, including Bach Flower Remedies.

The Findings:

Part One - Bach Flower Remedies

Six out of the seven current UK producers of the range of Bach Flower Remedies responded, two of those six do not sell their Bach range in the UK.

Of the six that responded:

• All use water in the preparation of the 'mother tincture'.
• 50% use fresh spring water.
• 50% use bottled water.
• All use glass bowls for the 'sun method'.
• All pick fresh flowers to make the essences.
• Five make under 'blue sky' conditions, the other (who does not sell in the UK), allows some leeway.
• All leave the bowl out for at least 3 hours.
• Five use the boiling method for 30 minutes, the other uses the 'sun method' for all essences.
• All use 40% brandy to preserve a 50/50 mix of 'mother tincture'.
• No-one enacts another process in the 'mother tincture' before further dilution.
• All who sell to the public dilute the 'mother tincture'.
• All regard this next dilution as 'second level' dilution.
• All preserve this with brandy and call this 'stock'.
• The proportion of 'mother tincture' to the 'stock level' varies from 1 part to 166, to 1 part to 400.
• All recommend that the purchaser dilutes the 'stock level' to dosage strength.
• No-one of the six who replied sells dilutions labelled 1 to 400% or 5x dilutions.

Ten other producers make essences from some of the species of the Bach range. These are sold within other essences ranges and some are made differently. For example - the sun/water method being used for essences that would have been prepared by the boiling method for the Bach range.

Conclusion:

All producers creating Bach Flower Remedies who responded to the survey follow the methodology outlined by Dr Edward Bach (1886-1936) in The Twelve Healers & Other Remedies 1936 and by Nora Weeks & Victor Bullen (of the Dr Edward Bach Centre) in Bach Flower Remedies Illustrations and Method of Preparation, 1964. All use freshly picked flowers and create a simple, two-stage dilution to 'stock level' that they sell to the public.

Part Two - All Types of Essences

Types of Essences created:

• 75% of producers make one or more flower essences using the 'sunlight method'.
• 56% of producers make one or more flower essences using the 'moonlight method'.
• 33% of producers make one or more flower essences using a mediator (crystal, deva etc).
• 25% of producers make plant essences (use other parts of the plant other than flowers).
• 22% of producers make one or more essences solely from water (this includes Rock Water and some made from different types of water).
• 39% of producers make gem or crystal essences.
• 47% of producers make environmental essences.
• 19% of producers create essences by channelling.
• 11% of producers create combinations in one making/one bowl.
• 14% of producers create other types of essences than those mentioned above.

Dilutions:

• 19% of producers do not use brandy - they use vodka or a similar preservative.
• 5% of producers dilute 1/5 alcohol to water/mother essence.
• 94% of producers dilute 50/50 or greater, alcohol to water/mother essence.
• 86% call the second dilution 'stock'.
• 17% sell 'mother essence'.
• 83% sell 'stock' level.
• 61% also sell 'dosage level' (3rd dilution).

Numbers of Essences created

37 essence producers create over 4100 essences

Of the total number of essences:

• 66% are flower essences.
• 3% are plant essences.
• 16% are gem or crystal essences.
• 5% are environmental essences.
• 1.5% are channelled essences.
• There are no radionic essences.
• 6% are classed as general essences.
• 2.4% do not fall easily into any other category.

For example: 19% of the producers (7 producers) create 1.5% of essences (62) by channelling

Conclusion

The creation of essences has expanded considerably in the last 25 years. However, it is apparent from this survey that the tenets put forward by Dr Edward Bach are still widely followed. Whether the subject matter of the essence is a live flower 'in situ', a crystal, a place, a seed, a leaf or spiritual energy - the process and presentation of the essence created varies little.

The dilutions from the 'mother essence' may be 2nd or 3rd, but none have been succussed and sequentially diluted as in homoeopathic preparations. Due to the nature of preparation none contain any trace of the biology or mineral content of their source. None of the essences contains an active ingredient which can be verified by chemical analysis.

BAFEP can therefore confirm that most essences are still made following the guidance laid down by Dr Edward Bach in 1936. Essences produced by those surveyed are not homoeopathic and not herbal. They could have a category of their own if it was feasible, but essences remain most closely aligned to food or activated/living water.

January 28th 2003

Participants in the BAFEP Survey:

Ainsworths, Bailey Essences, 'Blue Pearl' Wild Flower Essences, Brynaherb Essences, Cornish Essences, Cosmic Rainbow Essences, Crystal Herbs, David's Essences, Devic Essences, Findhorn Essences, Gaia Essences, Genesis Essences, Go-Natural Essences, Green Man Essences, Harebell Remedies, Healing Herbs of Dr Edward Bach, Ilminster Essences, Inner Child & Rainbow Light Body Essences, Light Heart Essences, Living Water Essences, Living Tree Orchid Essences, Manx Island Essences, Rising Serpent Essences, White Dove Essences, Rose-Gold Essences, Moonlight Essences, Silver Seagull Essences, Silvercord Essences, Skylark Essences, Soul Connections, Sovereignty Essences, Stewart Flower Essences, Sue's Essences, Sun Essences, Unitive Essences, Vaikuntha Aspirational Essences.

Subsequent new members of BAFEP have also completed the survey information:
Lakeland Flower Essences, Balancing Blooms, Rose Petal Essences, Belerion Essences, Harmonia Essences, Channel Island Flower Essences, Mother Luck Essences, Donaldson Essences, Grassdancer Vibrational Essences, Sun Essences for Animals, Essence of Avalon, Ariel Essences, Saskia's Flower Essences, Rose Cottage Essences, Touchwood Essences, Amourette Essences, Greng't Harz Essences, Indigo Essences, Karen Hague, Londner's Essences, Peppermint Essences, Alcemi Essences, LightBringer Essences, Purely Essences, In a Crystal Garden, Awen Vibrational Essences, John Pugh, Deborah's Starlight Essences (as at 3rd October 2006).

Download the survey as a .pdf

Links

Flower essence distributers worldwide

AusAngels

Essences Online

Flower Essence Society (FES)

Fleurs de Vie

Other links

Caduceus

Health 6

Health Directory and Health Insurance Resource

Healthy Total