Testing and Assays: Exactly!

Quality testing ensures standards of medicinal compounds and all ingredients are documented and are exactly what they claim to be. Purity testing safeguards against toxic contamination of pesticides, heavy metals, plasticizers, micro-toxins, microbes and solvents.

 

Assay Methods are analytical procedures that access quality and/or measure quantity for the presence, amount, or functional activity of a target entity (the analyte). It is imperative to choose the most exact assay for the analyte in question. Laboratory assays for medicinal mushrooms are well determined and new methodologies are being created as technology and equipment develop.

Assay Methods:

QuEChERS – Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe
The standard in many laboratories due to it’s effectiveness and safety. Analytical technique that applies a streamlined approach for extraction and chromatographing the resulting extract using Gas or Liquid Chromatography, coupled with Mass Spectrometry. QuEChERS is a thorough, safer, easier and less expensive method for analytical chemists to examine pesticide residues in food.

Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry – TQMS
A tandem mass spectrometry analytical technique consisting of two quadrupole mass analyzers in series (the first and third quadrupoles), with a (non-mass-resolving) radio frequency-only quadrupole (the second quadrupole) between them to act as a cell for collision-induced dissociation.

Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry – GC-MS
Analytical technique that combines the features of gas-chromatography and mass spectrometry to identify different substances. Important for forensic substance identification because it is used to perform a 100% specific test, which positively identifies the presence of a particular substance.

Liquid Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry  – LC-MS
Analytical chemistry technique that combines the physical separation capabilities of liquid chromatography (or HPLC) with the mass analysis capabilities of mass spectrometry (MS). LC-MS is a powerful technique that has very high sensitivity, making it useful in many applications.

Mass Spectrometry – MS
Analytical technique that ionizes chemical species and sorts the ions based on their mass to charge ratio. In simpler terms, a mass spectrum measures the masses within a sample. A ;more reliable way to identify species than simple HPLC.

Gas Chromatography – GC
Analytical chromatography technique in analytical chemistry for separating and analyzing compounds that can be vaporized without decomposition. Uses of GC include testing the purity of a particular substance, or separating the different components of a mixture.

High-Performance Liquid Chromatography – HPLC
Analytical technique to separate, identify, and quantify each component in a mixture. Chromatography involves pumping a mixture through an adsorbent medium, leading to the separation of the components as they flow out the column at different rates.

Enzymatic Glucan Analysis
Assay procedure to quantitatively measure glucans to determine the presence and amount of αlpha-glucans (starch) and fungi beta-glucans (target medicinal compounds).

 

Polysaccahrides Testing

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Beta-Glucans Testing

ß-glucans testing is required as an IOL ingredient. Currently no scientific method directly quantifies the ß-glucans. Their amounts are established by subtracting the α-glucans from total glucans (both able to be directly quantified). The result is the quantity of ß-glucans. An assay procedure specifically for mushroom and yeast has been developed.

Vitamin D Testing

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Spectrum Testing

Analysis of the spectrum retained post-extraction may be determined by comparison of the extract powder to a recognized standard of the complete mushroom that has undergone no extraction.

Species Determination

Species must be determined before cultivation, before and after the extraction process. The post-extraction process testing objective is two-fold: positive identification of the species and assurance of single-species. Testing Methodologies: HPLC

 

SUPER Certified Organic 572™ is the most comprehensive testing of medicinal mushrooms in the world. Purity testing safeguards against toxic contamination of pesticides, GMOs, heavy metals, plasticizers, microbes and solvents. Routine Certified Organic testing is for toxic pesticides only.

Toxic Pesticide Testing – 474

Toxic pesticide testing for organic certification is run on a current maximum of 474 pesticides ([year]). Testing Methodologies: HPLC

No-GMOs Screening Testing – 1

Testing for No-GMO content is required for Pure Mushroom Initiative SUPER Certification. Testing Methodologies: XXXX

Metals Testing – 34

Metal testing for 34 noble, light, heavy and coinage metals is required for Pure MI SUPER Organic. Testing Methodologies: XXXX

Plasticizers including Phthalates – xx

Pure Mushroom Initiative SUPER Organic requires testing for plasticizers including phthalates. Testing Methodologies: XXXX

Micro-Biological Testing – 6

Harmful mirco-biological content in 6 areas are required testing for Pure MI SUPER Organic. Testing Methodologies: XXXX

Residual Solvents Testing – 54

Residual Solvents from the production process are required testing for Pure MI SUPER Organic. Testing Methodologies: XXXX

Additives / Adulterants – xx

In order for medicinal mushrooms to be labelled Pure Mushrooms testing for additives ad adulterants are required testing for Pure MI SUPER Organic. α-glucan Testing Starch. Neque porro quisquam est. Testing Methodologies: XXXX

 

α-glucan Testing

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Testing may be performed in-house as company policy but all testing for official documents must be performed by third-party, independent, accredited laboratories. Records of testing results and samples of products must be retained for each production batch until 2 years after the expiry date.