Testing Ayurvedic Ingredients for Pet Products: Heavy Metals, Pesticides and More
Updated: 1 day ago
By the IndoFolk Wellness Care Team | Last reviewed September 2026
Quick answer: Every Ayurvedic ingredient for a pet product should be tested for identity, active content, heavy metals, pesticide residues, microbial contamination and, where relevant, aflatoxins and residual solvents. Ask for a certificate of analysis for each lot that states the method, limit and result for every test, and check results against your specification before the material is used.
Plants take up what is in the soil, water and air around them. They are dried in the open, stored, moved and sometimes mixed. That is why botanical ingredients need more testing than most synthetic ones, and why a brand's reputation can depend on a test report it never reads. Here is what to look for.
Why Herbal Ingredients Carry Extra Risk
Heavy metals absorbed from soil and water
Pesticide residues from cultivation
Microbes and moulds picked up during drying and storage
Substitution or adulteration with cheaper, similar-looking plants
Natural variation in active compounds between harvests and regions
The Tests Every Ingredient Should Pass
1. Identity. Confirms it is the right plant and part. Methods include visual and microscopic examination and chemical fingerprinting such as HPTLC, and sometimes DNA-based methods.
2. Assay of actives. Measures the marker compounds for standardised extracts, such as boswellic acids, curcuminoids or withanolides, usually by HPLC. The method matters, because different methods can give different numbers.
3. Heavy metals. Lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury, typically measured by ICP-MS.
4. Pesticide residues. A multi-residue screen covering the pesticides relevant to the crop and your target markets.
5. Microbial limits. Total aerobic count, yeast and mould, and absence of pathogens such as Salmonella and E. coli.
6. Aflatoxins, where relevant. Important for some roots, seeds and dried materials prone to mould.
7. Residual solvents and moisture. For extracts, confirms extraction solvents have been removed; moisture affects stability and microbial growth.
How to Read a COA, Line by Line
Header: product name, botanical name, lot number, manufacturing and retest or expiry dates. The lot number must match the material you receive.
Each test line: the test, the method, the specification limit, the result and the units. A result with no method or limit tells you very little.
Conclusion and sign-off: a clear pass statement, the name of the responsible person and the lab. Note whether the lab is in-house or independent.
Watch for COAs that show only "complies" without numbers, results that are identical across different lots, or tests that are missing for the ingredient type.
Setting Your Limits
Acceptable limits depend on the ingredient, the dose in the finished product and the rules of each market you sell in. Set your specification with your formulator and regulatory adviser, often referring to pharmacopoeial or regulatory limits, and write it into your supply agreement so every lot is judged against the same standard.
Keeping Quality Consistent
Approve suppliers and audit them, rather than buying spot lots
Keep retained samples of each lot
Occasionally send a sample to an independent lab to confirm results
Test the finished product as well as the raw materials
Choosing a supplier? Use our 15 questions to ask a pet supplement manufacturer, and read Ayurvedic herbs in pet products: safety and quality for the formulation side.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do Ayurvedic ingredients need heavy metal testing?
Plants can absorb heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury from soil and water, and levels vary by region and harvest. Testing every lot confirms the ingredient is within the limits set for your product and markets.
What should a herbal ingredient COA include?
A herbal ingredient COA should include the botanical name, lot number and dates, and results for identity, active content, heavy metals, pesticide residues, microbial limits and, where relevant, aflatoxins and residual solvents, each with the test method, limit and units, plus a signed conclusion.
How can I tell if a herbal extract is adulterated?
Identity testing such as HPTLC fingerprinting, compared against a reference standard, is the main way to detect substitution or adulteration. Assay results that look unusually high, or identical across lots, are also warning signs worth checking with an independent lab.
See a Sample COA
Ask us for a sample certificate of analysis for any ingredient you are considering, and we'll walk you through it.
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