How to read a Shilajit COA, line by line

The sections of a COA

Step 1: The laboratory

Check the laboratory’s name and address, and whether it states accreditation, such as ISO/IEC 17025, the international standard for testing laboratory competence.^[1] UKAS is the UK’s national accreditation body;^[2] laboratories elsewhere are accredited by their own national bodies. Accreditation should cover the tests reported; see lab accreditation.

Step 2: Batch and sample

Find the batch number and sample number, and compare the batch with your jar character by character. Note the sample quantity and dates; see batch numbers and testing dates.

Step 3: Results, units and limits

For each parameter, read the result with its unit and detection limit. Metals should ideally be in mg/kg as sold; compare lead, cadmium and mercury with the GB limits of 3.0, 1.0 and 0.1 mg/kg.^[3] “<” values and “ND” mean below the stated limit, not zero; see detection limits and units.

Step 4: Uncertainty and remarks

Measurement uncertainty tells you the range around a result. Remarks may contain recommendations, such as further testing, or extra results. Read them carefully; they often explain things the table doesn’t.

A worked example: batch SJ2509

The AGROLAB LUFA report for Nature Elixirs shows how these steps work in practice.^[4]

• LaboratoryAGROLAB LUFA GmbH, stating DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025:2018 accreditation.
• Batch and sampleBatch SJ2509, sample 765188, 300 g.
• DatesTesting from 25 September to 6 October 2025; report dated 6 October 2025.
• PanelMetals, aflatoxins, PAHs, pyrrolizidine alkaloids, pesticides and microbiology.
• Arsenic0.98 mg/kg in the table and 0.70 mg/kg in the remarks, with 55% uncertainty. Nature Elixirs’ owner and safety team confirmed to us these are a first test and a retest after further processing to reduce arsenic.
• RemarksThe laboratory recommends determining inorganic arsenic, which the brand plans to add.^[5]

Our team matched a physically received jar to batch SJ2509. Nature Elixirs is a brand evaluated by Best Shilajit UK. Read our evaluation to see the evidence and documentation we reviewed. See the full evaluation.

A note on per-serving certificates

Some certificates report per serving. A Eurofins certificate published by the same brand reports metals per 0.5 mL serving, such as 0.0367 µg of lead,^[6] which can’t be compared with mg/kg limits without the serving’s weight and basis.

Common mistakes when reading a COA

• Ignoring the batch numberA great report for another batch doesn’t describe your jar.
• Reading “ND” as zeroIt means below the detection limit.
• Comparing per-serving with mg/kg limitsDifferent bases.
• Skipping the remarksImportant notes often live there.
• Mixing up composition and contaminantsFulvic acid isn’t a safety result.

Signatures and authenticity of the report

A genuine laboratory report carries the laboratory’s details and an authorised signatory. If you doubt a report, you can contact the laboratory directly with the sample number to confirm it issued the report.

Putting it into practice

Print or save this page and keep it beside the next report you read. Work through it in order: laboratory, batch and sample, dates, results with units and limits, uncertainty, and remarks. Make a note of anything unclear, such as missing detection limits or more than one figure for a result, and ask the brand to explain. After one or two reports, the process becomes quick and familiar.

A shortcut

For a quick tick-box version, use the COA checklist.

Practise on a real report

The best way to learn is to practise. Open a published report, such as the AGROLAB report linked from our Nature Elixirs evaluation, and work through each step on this page. Comparing a real report with this guide makes each step concrete and easy to remember next time. Within a few reports, you will be able to judge a certificate quickly and confidently on your own. Keep practising.

The bottom line

Read a COA in order: laboratory, batch and sample, results with units and limits, uncertainty, then remarks. A good COA is accredited, batch-specific, numerical and dated. If something is unclear, ask the brand.

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