Connecticut, Indiana, Puerto Rico join New York attorney general's herbal supplement probe

Prosecutors from Connecticut, Indiana and Puerto Rico are joining New York's attorney general in an investigation of the herbal supplement industry.

The new coalition announced Tuesday follows allegations by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman that DNA tests on certain store-brand supplements found contaminants but none of the herbs listed on the label. Schneiderman ordered the supplements off the shelves last month and has requested detailed quality control information from four supplement manufacturers.

Supplement makers aren't required to disclose to the federal Food and Drug Administration or consumers the information they have about the safety or purported benefits of their products.

Schneiderman says lax oversight of supplements can have serious public health consequences, noting a 2013 hepatitis outbreak traced to a tainted diet supplement.