Alkemist Labs Spotlights the Herbs and Fungi Most Prone to Testing Failures

Alkemist Labs has publicly disclosed a roster of plants and fungi species that, according to their tests, reportedly failed most frequently for the latter part of 2024. The company is urging stakeholders to exercise caution during both procurement and examination of these ingredients.

Tests were conducted utilizing high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) to evaluate the authenticity and caliber of various botanical and other components. As an entity accredited under ISO 17025 for HPTLC, Alkemist Labs can unmask tampering and impurities, like the inclusion of wrong plant fragments, similar species, and unidentified substances. This method is leveraged on raw botanicals in their granulated and intact states, extracts, and pre-packaged products or blends.

The compilation of plants and fungi includes:

A number of these substances were recurrently unsuccessful in Alkemist’s assessments over 2023 and 2024, for instance, lion’s mane, lemon balm, monk fruit, rhodiola, stevia, and ashwagandha. Although elderberry accrued most failures in 2023 and the initial half of 2024, it was not part of the most recent roster.

Petra Erlandson, Alkemist Labs’ Director of Sales and Marketing, conveyed, “We circulate this data within the industry to instill a sense of vigilance among companies.” She added, “We also strongly suggest that those procuring raw material acquaint themselves with the tools provided by the Botanical Adulterants Prevention Program (BAPP) and devise an advance strategy to handle severe quality-related issues.”