Heavy Metal Testing for Supplements, Food & Cosmetics

How do you test a product for heavy metals?

You send a representative sample of the finished product or raw ingredient to an accredited laboratory. The lab prepares the sample so the metals are dissolved in solution, measures each metal by ICP-MS, checks the run against quality controls, and reports a result for every metal. You then compare the result with the limit that applies to your product and market. If you are not sure which panel or method fits your product, ask before you ship the sample.

Why heavy metal testing is critical

Heavy metals like arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury are toxic even at low concentrations. They can contaminate ingredients through soil, water, processing equipment and packaging. Regulators set limits to prevent harm such as neurotoxicity, kidney damage, developmental delays and carcinogenicity, and a failed or missing test can stop a product from being sold.

Heavy metals in supplements, food and cosmetics

Botanical and mineral ingredients, plant-based powders and extracts, and products made on metal equipment are common places for metals to show up, which is why testing is routine for dietary supplements and their raw materials. The same four metals matter in food and in cosmetic formulations. Testing the raw material and the finished batch can show where a problem enters.

Metals we test for

We test for all commonly regulated metals: Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Arsenic (As, total and inorganic), Mercury (Hg, total and methylmercury), Nickel (Ni), Chromium (Cr), Tin (Sn), Cobalt (Co), Antimony (Sb), Thallium (Tl), Copper (Cu) and Zinc (Zn). Custom panels and additional trace metal screening are available on request.

Which limits apply to your result

Results are compared with the limit for your product and market: USP <2232> for elemental contaminants in dietary supplements, ICH Q3D for elemental impurities in drug products, California Prop 65 for products sold in California, and EU Regulation 1881/2006 for foods sold in the EU. Limits for supplements are usually expressed per daily dose, so the serving size on your label matters as much as the concentration in the powder.

ICP-MS technology

Our laboratory uses ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry), a standard method for multi-element trace detection at parts-per-billion (ppb) sensitivity. That sensitivity allows reliable, reproducible results at concentrations far below regulatory limits.

California Prop 65 compliance

We provide heavy metal testing aligned with California Prop 65 maximum allowable dose levels (MADLs) and No Significant Risk Levels (NSRLs). Our reports include the documentation needed to support Prop 65 compliance.

القطاعات التي نخدمها

• Dietary supplements
• Herbal & botanical products
• Cosmetics & personal care
• Food & functional foods
• Amazon FBA sellers