Lab testing & quality
Quality claims should be verifiable. Our partner store provides third-party lab testing and batch certificates of analysis (COAs) — here is how to read them.
Third-party lab
Tested by an independent lab, not in-house only.
Batch COA
A lot number and date, with microbial, heavy-metal and alkaloid results.
GMP sourcing
Sourced from trusted growers and handled under GMP-compliant conditions.
What a good COA includes
A useful certificate of analysis is batch-specific — tied to a lot number and a test date — and covers three things: microbial contamination (Salmonella, E. coli, mold/yeast), heavy metals (lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury), and an alkaloid profile showing mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine content. A generic certificate recycled across every product tells you nothing.
Why testing matters
Kratom is an unregulated botanical, which means contamination is a real risk rather than a theoretical one. The FDA has documented kratom products contaminated with Salmonella and with concerning levels of heavy metals, and there have been recalls as a result. Laboratory testing is the only practical way to catch these before they reach a customer.
Red flags when buying
- No COA available, or a COA that is not batch-specific
- Vague potency claims with no alkaloid numbers
- Products marketed with medical claims — a sign the seller is not being careful
- Prices that are implausibly low for tested product
What we do
Every product we link to through our partner store Flavourz is third-party tested and comes with a batch COA. Ask for the COA for the exact batch you receive; if a vendor cannot produce one, buy elsewhere.
Testing is not the same as approval
A clean COA tells you a batch is free of the contaminants tested for and shows its alkaloid content. It does not mean kratom is safe, legal everywhere, or approved to treat any condition. Kratom is not FDA-approved as a drug, supplement, or food additive, and it may be habit-forming.
Treat testing as one important input — alongside serving size, personal health, and local law — not as a green light.
How to request a COA
When you order, note the lot or batch number on the package and ask the vendor for the matching certificate. A responsive vendor can produce it quickly; a vague or evasive answer is itself useful information. Keep the certificate with the product so you can tell which batch you have.
Testing also tells you something about consistency. A vendor who tests every batch is usually a vendor who tracks their supply in detail — which is a better signal than any single clean result.
If you are comparing two products and everything else is equal, the one with the more transparent, batch-specific testing is the safer bet.
None of this replaces professional advice. For anything medical, consult a clinician; for anything legal, consult an attorney.
See also our safety guide and the FDA's own kratom page.