Herbal Supplement Testing

Ensure your herbals meet quality standards with comprehensive lab testing

Image of herbal supplement testing

Herbal supplement testing is critical for ensuring the quality, safety, and compliance of your natural herbals products. Whether you’re formulating traditional immune support remedies, or modern rhodiola adaptogen blends, every batch must meet rigorous regulatory standards  for identity, potency, and purity.

At Qalitex Laboratories, we specialize in third-party testing for herbal supplements, offering ISO-accredited analysis for raw materials and finished herbal products. From turmeric medicinal herb raw material ingredient verification, moringa in-process quality control testing or traditional chinese medicine finished product certificate of analysis (COA) to after release troubleshooting for St John’s Wort heavy metals or  microbial contamination, we offer a comprehensive suite of services. Our full-service laboratory testing and herbal supplement stability testing services ensures your products are authentic, effective, and safe for retail or clinical use.


Why Herbal Supplement Testing Matters

  • Regulatory Compliance: Required under FDA 21 CFR Part 111 for identity, purity, strength, and composition.

  • Ingredient Verification: Prevent substitution or adulteration with accurate species confirmation.

  • Label Claims Accuracy: Confirm the presence and quantity of active compounds in finished products.

  • Consumer Safety: Screen for heavy metals, pesticide residues, microbiological contamination, and solvents.

  • Marketplace Access: Meet requirements for Amazon, Whole Foods, Prop 65, Health Canada, and EU markets.


Herbal Supplement Testing Services

Identity Testing

Qalitex Laboratories offers a multitude of lab services to verify that your herbal ingredients and finished products match the labeled species and plant parts.

Our validated laboratory test methods include:

  • High-Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC)

  • Microscopy and macroscopic evaluation

  • DNA Barcoding (for single-ingredient raw materials)

  • Organoleptic testing (sensory evaluation by trained botanists)

We follow USP and AHP monographs to verify identity for commonly used medicinal herbs.


Potency & Active Marker Testing

Qalitex Laboratories verifies  key bioactive constituents in herbal extracts and finished products to support label claims and regulatory submissions.

Common analytical methods:

  • HPLC, LC-MS/MS, GC-MS, UV-Vis spectrophotometry

  • Custom assay development for proprietary formulas

Examples of compounds tested:

  • Curcuminoids (turmeric)

  • Withanolides (ashwagandha)

  • Ginsenosides (ginseng)

  • Rosavins and salidroside (rhodiola)

  • Silymarin (milk thistle)

  • Valerenic acids (valerian)

  • EGCG (green tea)

  • Anthocyanins (elderberry, acai)

We test raw herbs, standardized extracts, capsules, tinctures, and teas.


Contaminant & Purity Testing

Ensure your herbal supplements are free from harmful contaminants with validated safety testing:

  • Heavy Metals (Lead, Arsenic, Cadmium, Mercury) via ICP-MS per USP <2232> and Prop 65

  • Microbiology: Total plate count, yeast and mold, Salmonella, E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus

  • Pesticide Residues: Multiresidue screening via LC-MS/MS for over 200 analytes

  • Residual Solvents: GC-MS screening per USP <467> for Class 1, 2, and 3 solvents

We test raw materials, extracts, and finished products for full regulatory compliance.


Stability & Shelf-Life Studies

We conduct real-time and accelerated stability testing to support shelf-life claims and expiration dating:

  • Active compound degradation over time

  • Packaging interaction evaluation

  • ICH-recommended environmental conditions (25°C/60% RH, 40°C/75% RH)

  • Custom protocols for capsules, teas, and tinctures


Custom Method Development

If your herbal formulation includes a non-compendial or novel ingredient, we can develop and validate testing methods tailored to your product:

  • Indigenous or uncommon herbs

  • Proprietary herbal blends

  • Novel delivery systems (e.g., emulsions, sprays, nano-formulations)


Common Herbs We Test

Qalitex Laboratory with a wide range of traditional and modern herb ingredients, including:

Category Examples
Adaptogens Ashwagandha, Rhodiola, Schisandra, Ginseng
Immune Support Echinacea, Elderberry, Astragalus, Andrographis
Hormonal Health Maca, Vitex, Black Cohosh, Dong Quai
Calming/Nervine Herbs Chamomile, Lemon Balm, Passionflower, Valerian
Digestive Herbs Ginger, Fennel, Peppermint, Licorice
Antioxidant Herbs Acai, Goji, Grape Seed, Green Tea

Need support testing a rare or custom herbal extract? Our lab can help.


Herbal Supplement Product Types We Support

Qalitex Laboratories test a wide range of herbal supplement types:

  • Capsules and softgels 

  • Teas (loose-leaf, bagged, instant)

  • Tinctures and liquid extracts

  • Herbal powders and blends

  • Herbal creams, oils, and balms

  • Raw herb materials and bulk shipments


Regulatory Compliance & Certifications

Our herbal testing services are aligned with:

  • FDA cGMP requirements (21 CFR Part 111)

  • USP–NF, AOAC, AHP, and EP testing guidelines

  • California Proposition 65

  • Health Canada NNHPD, EU Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive

We provide Certificates of Analysis (COAs), Safety Data Sheets (SDS), and documentation for audits, inspections, and international shipping.


Who We Serve

  • Herbal supplement brands and product developers

  • Contract manufacturers and private label firms

  • Herbal extract suppliers and importers

  • Functional beverage and tea brands

  • Herbal practitioners and integrative health clinics

  • Amazon and natural products eCommerce sellers


Why Choose Qalitex Laboratories?

  • Decades of experience testing herbal products

  • Expertise in traditional medicine ingredients and modern formulations

  • Fast turnaround with rush testing available

  • Customizable panels for any size business

  • Dedicated project support from real scientists—no portals or bots


FAQs – Herbal Supplement Testing

Q: Can you test finished herbal products like teas and capsules?
Yes. We test raw ingredients and finished herbal products including teas, capsules, tinctures, and creams.

Q: Can you identify unknown herbal ingredients in my blend?
We can verify species identity via HPTLC, microscopy, and DNA barcoding (for appropriate materials).

Q: Do you test for active constituents in standardized extracts?
Yes. We quantify actives like curcuminoids, ginsenosides, silymarin, and others using validated methods.

Q: What’s your turnaround time?
Most herbal testing panels are completed in 7–10 business days. Rush options are available.

Q: Can I use your results for Amazon or international compliance?
Yes. Our reports meet the requirements of Amazon, Prop 65, Health Canada, and the EU market.