As we go about our daily lives, there are a lot of different things that get tested before we use them. Cars and buses go through rigorous safety tests before they can hit the roads. Facilities that process produce must ensure their safety, and restaurants have to pass regular cleanliness tests to be permitted to serve food.
Testing products that we are eating is one of the most important things that we rely on companies to do. When we buy something at a store, we feel safe. We trust that the item has been handled appropriately, and we feel that it is safe to eat.
Why would we feel any differently about Kratom?
Like other substances that are ingested, Kratom is going into your body and can thus have very serious effects on your body. While uncontaminated Kratom is unlikely to cause any big problems, contaminated Kratom can cause serious shock and illness.
So what can be done about this?
Kratom vendors, makers, and middle-men can ensure that Kratom is being tested properly before it makes its way into the hands of consumers. We’re going to discuss how the testing process should happen and why it’s so important that it does happen!
Testing Kratom
All in all, it is relatively easy for a company to have their Kratom tested. They have to hire a third-party service to take samples of various product batches and then analyze those samples to ensure that there are no contaminants.
When talking in the world of Kratom, we usually call qualified testing labs accredited labs.
All About Accredited Labs
What makes a lab an accredited lab? Simply put, an accredited lab has passed a set of exams to ensure that they are following the right methodology when performing ISO/IEC tests at their facilities.
Testing at an accredited lab is essential because other labs might not do the test the right way, or they might not be legally allowed to certify the results of the exams.
GMP Standards In The World Of Kratom
GMP Standards, also known as Good Manufacturing Practices, are a part of most manufacturing industries. These rules are created (often at the national level) and monitored to ensure that the items being produced are safe for consumers to use.
For Kratom, there is no national governing body that regulates the production and processing of Kratom. As such, there have been cases of contaminated Kratom making it to the market and causing users to get ill.
To prevent the spread of those type of issues, the American Kratom Association created a set of Good Manufacturing Practices, based on the FDA’s GMP standards, for Kratom vendors and makers to follow.
As a GMP qualified vendor, we are confident that our products are safely made and processed. Gaining recognition as a qualified vendor in this program is very special to us because we know that we are doing everything that we can to ensure our customer’s safety when choosing to use Kratom!
Our Testing
Here at Left Coast Kratom, we like to be confident that we are going to be selling the best possible Kratom to our customers.
As such, we’ve implemented a number of safety protocols to align with AKA’s GMP standards:
- Test for pathogens in our facilities
- Ensure proper sanitation techniques
- Screen suppliers thoroughly
- Have complete tests done more regularly
- Use more than one third-party testing lab
By doing all of these things, we are ensuring that our products are properly stored, maintained, and created before they get to you.
Possible Kratom Contaminants
You may be curious about what type of contaminants can be found in Kratom. While there are a wide variety of potential cross-contamination issues, the main areas that are focused on when testing Kratom include the following:
- • Pathogens:
Coliforms, mold, yeast, salmonella - • Heavy metals:
Lead, mercury, cadmium, nickel, arsenic
Those are the most common problems found in batches created and processed by dishonest Kratom sellers that are trying to make a quick buck. These sellers don’t worry about safety practices, and that allows their product to be contaminated with dangerous growth like mold or yeast.
Kratom Testing: What Is Tested For
When an accredited lab carries out a test on Kratom, there is a specific set of things that they will look for.
The test will include all of the following:
- • Ensure the product is actually Kratom
- • Ensure that there are no microbials in the substance
- • Check heavy metal concentrations
- • Check for any contamination
- • Ensure the alkaloids present are real, not synthetic
- • Confirm the presence and percentages of mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, the two most common alkaloids found in Kratom
How You Can Be Confident In Your Purchase
When you’re planning on trying a new Kratom store or you simply want to restock on your favorite product, it’s important that you check that all the vendors you like to use have up-to-date testing procedures and practices.
Most qualified GMP vendors will have that information clearly and proudly listed on their website. After all, it’s quite a feat to be accepted into AKA’s program!
If you cannot find any clear information about testing on a vendor’s website, reach out to their customer service contact and find out about their testing policy. It will only take you a couple of hours to get the information that you need, and you will be able to feel safer and more confident in your purchase!
Taking Kratom Is Serious
Here at Left Coast Kratom, we love Kratom! We know that it can have a lot of benefits for different people, and we love that we get to be a part of making that connection.
That being said, we are also fully aware that Kratom is a very serious substance. When used incorrectly or contaminated at the source without a customer’s knowledge, Kratom can be dangerous.
That is why we want to reiterate one last time how important it is for you to make sure that you are only buying fully vetted, properly tested Kratom. When you take Kratom that has not been tested, you’re taking a risk that isn’t worth taking.
Lab testing is important; ask your favorite vendors to join AKA’s compliance program to help ensure the safety of Kratom users across the country!