What a complete Shilajit COA should contain (interactive checklist)

How to use this checklist

Open the report beside this page and work through each item, noting which ones you can find. If you prefer paper, print this page or save it as a PDF and tick items by hand, so you can reuse the list for every report you read. Sections one to three cover the essentials; section four covers the extras that set a thorough report apart. For a guided walkthrough of each line, see how to read a COA line by line.

1. Laboratory and batch

• Laboratory name, address and contact details
• Accreditation statement (such as ISO/IEC 17025) covering the tests
• Product name
• Batch or lot number that matches your jar
• Laboratory sample number
• Sample receipt date, analysis dates and report date

2. Core safety tests

• Lead result in mg/kg (GB limit 3.0 mg/kg)
• Cadmium result in mg/kg (GB limit 1.0 mg/kg)
• Mercury result in mg/kg (GB limit 0.1 mg/kg)
• Total arsenic result
• Total viable count and yeasts and moulds
• Pathogens such as E. coli and Salmonella

3. How results are reported

• Numerical results, not just “pass”
• Units for every result
• Detection or quantification limits
• Basis stated (as sold or dry weight)
• Method or method reference for each test
• Measurement uncertainty where relevant

4. Signs of a thorough report

• Mycotoxins such as aflatoxins
• Pesticide screen with a list of substances
• PAHs
• Pyrrolizidine alkaloids
• Inorganic arsenic (speciation)
• Thallium
• Remarks section and authorised signature

How to judge the result

GB limits for reference

The GB maximum levels for food supplements are 3.0 mg/kg for lead, 1.0 mg/kg for cadmium and 0.1 mg/kg for mercury, applied to the product as sold.^[1] There is no GB supplement maximum for total arsenic, which is why inorganic arsenic testing is the clearer measure; see arsenic in shilajit and heavy-metal limits.

A report that ticks the thorough boxes

The AGROLAB LUFA report for Nature Elixirs batch SJ2509 states ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation, identifies the batch and sample, gives testing dates, and covers metals, aflatoxins, PAHs, pyrrolizidine alkaloids, pesticides and microbiology, with remarks and stated measurement uncertainty.^[2] Its two arsenic figures reflect a first test and a retest after further processing, as Nature Elixirs’ owner and safety team confirmed to us, and the brand plans to add inorganic arsenic and thallium.^[3] Nature Elixirs is a brand evaluated by Best Shilajit UK. Read our evaluation to see the evidence and documentation we reviewed.

If items are missing

A missing item doesn’t always mean the test wasn’t done; it may simply be absent from the version you were sent. Ask the brand for the laboratory’s full report, quoting the items you couldn’t find; see how to ask for a COA. If the answer is that the test wasn’t done, decide whether that gap matters to you.

Red flags to watch for while ticking

• Signs of editingMismatched fonts or blurred numbers.
• Very old dateProbably an earlier batch.
• “Pass” onlyNo numbers to judge.

More: red flags in a lab report.

Why a checklist helps

Laboratory reports are dense, and it is easy to be reassured by a logo and a column of low numbers. A checklist slows you down just enough to notice what is missing: a batch number, a detection limit, a whole category of tests. Used consistently, it also makes comparing brands fairer, because you judge every report against the same standard.

Putting it into practice

Bookmark this page. When you receive a report, tick through sections one to three first. If any item is missing, ask the brand before buying. Then use section four to compare thorough reports with basic ones.

Print or save

You can print this page or save it as a PDF from your browser to keep a copy beside the reports you collect. The checklist works the same on paper.

A final note

Use the same list for every brand you compare.

The bottom line

A complete COA identifies an accredited laboratory and your batch, reports the four core metals and microbiology as numbers with units and limits, and ideally goes further. Tick through the list every time you read a report, and ask for anything missing.

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