How to Read a Shilajit Certificate of Analysis (COA) — A Complete Guide

Written by Ayesha Rahman — Lab Assistant, Golden Shilajit Official Research Team. Reviewed by the Golden Shilajit Research Team. Last updated: August 2026.

Most people buying Shilajit never look at the Certificate of Analysis. That's a mistake.

A COA is the single most important document a supplement brand can provide. It's the difference between a marketing claim and a verified fact. And for a substance like Shilajit — a geological product that naturally accumulates minerals from its environment — it's not optional.

This guide walks you through every section of a Shilajit COA, what the numbers mean, what acceptable limits look like, and how to tell a genuine third-party COA from one that's been produced to deceive.

What Is a Certificate of Analysis?

A Certificate of Analysis is a document issued by a laboratory after testing a product sample. It records the results of specific tests — chemical composition, contaminant levels, microbial counts — and confirms whether the product meets defined specifications.

For supplements, a COA serves two purposes. First, it verifies that the product contains what the label claims. Second, it confirms the product is free from harmful contaminants at levels that would pose a risk to health.

The key word is independent. A COA from a brand's own in-house lab is not meaningful verification — the lab has a financial interest in the outcome. A COA from an accredited third-party laboratory carries weight because the lab has no stake in the result.

Why Shilajit Specifically Needs Third-Party Testing

Shilajit is not a synthesised supplement. It's a geological substance — compressed organic matter that has absorbed minerals from surrounding rock over millions of years.

That's what makes it bioactive. It's also what makes it potentially risky if untested.

Because Shilajit forms in rock, it can accumulate heavy metals — lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury — from its geological environment. Without proper purification and testing, they can be present in the final product at levels that cause harm over time.

Reputable producers purify raw Shilajit using a water-based process that removes impurities before concentrating the active compounds. But purification alone isn't proof. A COA from an accredited lab is the only way to confirm the final product is clean. For a broader look at why lab-tested Shilajit matters, see our dedicated guide.

The Sections of a Shilajit COA

1. Product Identification

The top of a COA should clearly identify:

• Product name — should match the product you purchased
• Batch or lot number — links the COA to a specific production run
• Sample receipt date and test date — confirms the COA is current
• Testing laboratory name and accreditation number
• Sample or report number — the unique identifier for that specific test submission

If the batch number on the COA doesn't match the batch number on your product packaging, the COA may not apply to what you received. Reputable brands test every batch, not just once at launch.

2. Fulvic Acid Result

Fulvic acid is a primary bioactive compound in Shilajit. Fulvic-acid results are batch- and method-specific. Buyers should compare the reported value with the named laboratory, analytical method, batch number and current COA rather than applying one universal percentage range.

For reference, Golden Shilajit Official's documented batch-specific results:

• Batch SLJT01LQ: 45.39 g/100g — Eurofins, Report 4999802-0, method IRXNK
• Batch HI-SHL-0226: 46.80 g/100g — Eurofins, Report 5374116-0, method IRXNK-Fulvic Acid (Gravimetric); 44.31% — TTI, ISO 5073:2021

Fulvic acid is one useful analytical result, but it should be interpreted together with method, batch identity, contaminant testing, formulation and traceability. It is not a standalone proof of quality or authenticity.

What to look for: Result expressed as dry weight or g/100g (confirm which basis); testing method named; result from the same batch as the product received.

Red flags: No fulvic acid figure; no testing method listed; wet-weight measurement without disclosure; no batch number matching the product.

3. Humic Acid Percentage

Humic acid is a related compound in the humic substance family, present in Shilajit but less bioavailable than fulvic acid due to its higher molecular weight. A typical Shilajit COA will show humic acid at a lower percentage than fulvic acid. If humic acid is listed higher, that's unusual and worth questioning — it may indicate lower-quality source material or adulteration.

4. Heavy Metal Testing

This section is non-negotiable. Every Shilajit COA should include results for at least four heavy metals. For a detailed look at the risks these metals pose and what to expect from a verified result, see our guide to heavy metals in Shilajit.

Applicable limits vary by market and regulatory standard. Always compare the result with the specific specification or limit cited on the COA being reviewed.

Results are typically expressed in parts per million (ppm) or micrograms per gram (µg/g). To assess safety against a daily intake limit, multiply the concentration by the daily dose weight in grams — and confirm which serving size is being used in the calculation.

Red flags: Heavy metals not tested; results listed as pass/fail only without actual numbers; no reference to the testing standard used; no batch number on the heavy-metal report.

5. Microbial Testing

A complete Shilajit COA should include results for Total Aerobic Plate Count (TAPC), Total Yeast and Mould Count, E. coli (should be absent or below detection limit), and Salmonella (should be absent). Acceptable limits follow USP or EU pharmacopoeia standards for dietary supplements. The COA should state which standard was applied.

For a real-world example of microbiological testing and why using separate laboratories for different test types can be useful, see Golden Shilajit's dual-lab testing guide.

6. Moisture Content

Moisture content affects the concentration of active compounds. A high moisture content means you're getting less resin per gram of product. Most quality Shilajit resins have a moisture content below 20%.

7. Laboratory Accreditation

The credibility of a COA depends entirely on the credibility of the lab that produced it. Look for ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation — the international standard for testing laboratories — a named accreditation body such as UKAS (UK), A2LA (USA), or DAkkS (Germany), and a verifiable accreditation number. Also check whether the specific test type falls within the accredited scope, or is marked with an asterisk indicating it falls outside that scope.

To understand how Eurofins tests Shilajit in detail, see our dedicated guide.

How to Spot a Fake or Misleading COA

Generic or undated documents. A COA with no batch number, no test date, or a date from several years ago may not apply to the product you're buying.

In-house lab results. If the testing laboratory is the same company as the brand, or shares an address with the brand, the result is not independent.

Pass/fail only. A COA that shows only “pass” or “compliant” without actual numerical results gives you no way to verify the claim. Legitimate COAs show the measured value alongside the specification limit.

Unverifiable lab names. Search the laboratory name on the relevant accreditation body's register. If it doesn't appear, the accreditation claim is false.

Mismatched batch numbers. Always check that the batch number on the COA matches the batch number on your product.

Missing method information. A COA that gives a fulvic acid result but does not name the analytical method cannot be meaningfully compared with results from other laboratories.

What a Good COA Looks Like: A Checklist

• COA is from a named, accredited third-party laboratory
• Laboratory ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation is publicly verifiable on the accreditation body's register
• Accreditation scope confirmed — check whether any test entries are marked as outside the accredited scope
• Batch or lot number on COA matches product packaging
• Sample or report number is present for traceability
• Test date is recent and current for the batch being supplied
• Fulvic acid result disclosed with the analytical method and basis (dry weight or g/100g)
• Heavy metals tested — lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury — with actual numerical results, not pass/fail only
• Original units preserved; do not convert between µg/g and µg/day without a stated serving size
• “<” and “ND” results understood as below-threshold or not-detected, not as zero
• Arsenic reported — note whether total arsenic or speciated inorganic arsenic is given
• Microbial testing included: TAPC, yeast/mould, E. coli, Salmonella
• Moisture content disclosed
• Document is current and batch-specific, not a historical certificate applied to all stock

Conclusion

A Certificate of Analysis is not a marketing document. It's a technical record — and reading it correctly gives you more reliable information about a Shilajit product than any label claim, testimonial, or brand story.

The key figures are fulvic acid result (with method), heavy metal results (with units and reporting-limit context), and microbial testing. The key requirement is that the lab is independent, accredited, and named — and that the report matches the batch you are actually receiving.

If a brand won't share its COA, or shares one that doesn't hold up to the checks in this guide, that tells you everything you need to know.

For more on what makes Shilajit authentic from source to shelf, read our Authentic vs Synthetic Shilajit guide and complete guide to authentic Himalayan Shilajit. To understand what fulvic acid is and why its percentage matters, see What Is Fulvic Acid and Why Does It Matter in Shilajit?

Frequently Asked Questions

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