We’re constantly emphasising the importance of laboratory testing. After all, the market is full of low-grade Shilajit, often advertised as top quality. But, can anybody stand behind their claims? Of course, there are a few who can. But to do that, laboratory tests are needed. And they don’t come cheap. On the bright side, once you have them, you’re pretty much set. From our perspective, this is it. For a potential buyer, this is a whole different matter. Not everybody understands these tests and what they represent, so we thought we’d make a quick introduction to know what you’re looking for. If you’re a seasoned Shilajit user, this blog may be isn’t for you, but for everybody else, it will, hopefully, be an excellent addition. So, where to start?
PURITY AND AUTHENTICITY
Knowing if you’re buying real stuff is very important when purchasing Shilajit. So the authenticity test is the first logical step. Here, the typical substances that form Shilajit are examined, and a score of authenticity is given. Mind that only “authentic” Shilajit is accepted here, nothing else. A new problem arises when you establish that Shilajit that somebody is offering is authentic. How pure is actually the Shilajit you’re about to buy? The purity test comes into play here.
When testing it for purity, we mainly want to know if there is something else in there that should not be. What do we mean by that? Well, when we process Shilajit, it goes through several steps. In the first part, cleaning, we must be cautious and use the cleanest possible water. Products of bad quality can smell like ammonia or other chemicals that are (not supposed to be, but still are) used during the cleaning part. Of course, these cutbacks save much money, but it’s usually at the expense of the final customer. Some even use fertilisers and other harmful substances and mix them with the final product. A purity test makes sure the product you’re about to buy is pure in the sense that nothing else is mixed with it. This test is crucial for the overall quality of the final product.
HEAVY METALS AND BACTERIA
Ok, so this one is critical. We live in a world where much of our food is compromised. And heavy metals are especially problematic. Heavy metals and metalloids (e.g., Hg, As, Pb, Cd, and Cr) can disturb human metabolomics, contributing to morbidity and mortality. Heavy metal pollution has spread broadly over the globe, perturbing the environment and posing serious health hazards to humans. The root causes of this problem are generally held to be the rapid pace of urbanisation, land-use changes, and industrialisation, especially in developing countries with extremely high populations. Heavy metals can end up in a lot of food we eat regularly without knowing about it. Naturally, Shilajit is no exception. We urge you to be very careful about this. There are maximum permissible levels of heavy metals in food, so keeping way below them was our primary concern. We can proudly say that you will have a hard time finding Shilajit with such low levels of heavy metals as ours…anywhere. It is also one of the most critical factors you should look at when buying Shilajit.
For last, we got bacteria left. During processing, contamination is a severe health hazard. Not only with Shilajit but basically anywhere you deal with food or supplements meant for eating. While many microbes are harmless to humans, others can cause serious problems. They can spoil food, introduce toxins, cause disease and lead to a host of other issues. The importance of microbiological testing is to quickly identify these contaminants and treat them before they do irreversible damage. Shilajit needs to be tested for the total microbial count, molds, yeasts, salmonella, bacillus cereus, staphylococci, and e.coli. Testing ensures the safety of everyone who comes into contact with your product and facility. Delaying proper safety measures is a gamble that rarely pays off.
CONCLUSION
Food safety is not something we joke about. Not enough people take it seriously, more so with Shilajit. We hope that proper testing and spreading knowledge about these tests will raise the bar and set a standard for Shilajit manufacturers. This substance deserves to be properly represented, and cheap imitations or untested mixtures damage its reputation. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and demand proof of quality. After all, your health is the only thing that truly matters.
For some of our sources and more info check out: