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How to Read a Shilajit Certificate of Analysis (COA) — A Complete Guide
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Written by Ayesha Rahman — Lab Assistant, Golden Shilajit Official Research Team. Reviewed by the Golden Shilajit Research Team. Last updated: August 2026.
Short Answer
How do you read a Shilajit Certificate of Analysis?
Start with the product and batch identity, then check the laboratory, report number, dates and analytical methods. Read each result alongside its units, reporting limits and measurement basis. Check the scope of any accreditation claim and verify questionable reports directly with the issuing laboratory. A COA describes the listed tests on an identified sample; it is not a blanket guarantee of safety, authenticity or every unit currently for sale.
This is a technical walkthrough of a Shilajit COA. For the broader buying decision, see why lab-tested Shilajit matters. When interpreting a report, keep the original document available so its footnotes and qualifications are not lost.
What Is a Certificate of Analysis?
A Certificate of Analysis records results for specified tests on an identified sample. A report may also compare those results against stated specifications. Its conclusions extend only to the tests, sample and conditions described, not automatically to all product claims or future batches.
A specification sheet lists targets or requirements. A COA records reported findings. A laboratory report may cover only one part of the evidence, such as composition, heavy metals or microbiology; read its actual scope rather than expecting one document to answer every quality question.
1. Match the Product, Batch and Report Details
- Product or sample description: establish which formulation was submitted.
- Batch or lot number: compare it with the product you receive, or ask the seller to explain the link.
- Report and sample identifiers: retain these for verification.
- Receipt, analysis and issue dates: read each date for what it represents. A recent date alone does not prove the report applies to your product.
- Laboratory identity: check the issuing organisation and any subcontracted testing noted on the document.
A historical report can document a historical batch. It should not be presented as evidence for current stock without a verified connection to the batch being supplied.
2. Read the Fulvic Acid Result with Its Method and Basis
Record the reported value, unit, analytical method and whether it is expressed on a dry-matter or as-received basis. Do not assume that g/100g means dry weight: it describes a mass ratio, while the report must establish the measurement basis.
For the same amount of measured substance, a dry-weight concentration is generally higher than an as-received concentration because the denominator excludes moisture. Comparing results requires a compatible method and basis; do not convert them without the necessary moisture data and method context.
Documented Golden Shilajit Examples
- SLJT01LQ: Eurofins Report 4999802-0, Sample 15422471, dated 17 July 2025. Fulvic acid: 45.39 g/100g, method IRXNK. Bureau Veritas Report 1086405 provides separate microbiological documentation.
- HI-SHL-0226: Eurofins Report 5374116-0, Sample 16388887, dated 21 May 2026. Fulvic acid: 46.80 g/100g, IRXNK-Fulvic Acid (Gravimetric). TTI separately reports 44.31% using ISO 5073:2021. Anresco Order 960349 provides separate heavy-metal documentation.
These are documented batches, not confirmation of which batch is currently being shipped. Keep each laboratory’s result and method separate; do not average the Eurofins and TTI values or infer the reason for their difference from the numbers alone.
Accreditation footnote: the Eurofins reports mark the fulvic-acid analysis as outside the ISO-accredited scope shown. Apply this qualification to that analysis, not automatically to unrelated entries on the report.
A fulvic acid result is not a standalone proof of authenticity, overall safety or clinical benefit.
3. Interpret Heavy-Metal Results without Mixing Units
Check the listed analytes, including lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury where reported. For each, retain the measured value, unit, method and any reporting-limit notation. A concentration in the product is not the same as exposure per serving or per day.
| Report entry | How to read it |
|---|---|
| mg/kg, µg/g or ppm | Read the stated concentration and its basis. For mass-based reporting, 1 mg/kg equals 1 µg/g or 1 ppm. |
| µg/serving or µg/day | Requires an explicitly defined serving mass or daily amount. Do not compare directly with a concentration value. |
| “<” before a result | Below the stated threshold; consult the report for the type of limit. It does not mean zero. |
| ND | Not detected under the stated method and reporting conditions, not proof of absolute absence. |
| Total arsenic | Not an inorganic-arsenic result. Do not infer the fraction present as inorganic arsenic. |
The Anresco Order 960349 report for HI-SHL-0226 measures total arsenic, not speciated inorganic arsenic. Preserve that distinction when describing its findings.
Where a specification or reference limit is shown, check its source, applicability and units. This guide does not supply one universal pass/fail threshold for every market, formulation and intake. Ask a qualified specialist to resolve a regulatory comparison rather than inferring compliance from a single number.
For context, see heavy metals in Shilajit.
Connect the Evidence to the Product
Review the format and published documentation before ordering. Ask which batch will be supplied if a matching report is important to your decision.
4. Read Microbiological Results as Reported
Check which tests were actually performed, such as aerobic counts, yeast and mould counts, or named organisms. Read the result together with its units, sample quantity, method and stated specification. A count and an absence-in-a-defined-test-quantity result are different kinds of evidence.
Do not treat a report covering chemistry alone as proof of microbiological testing. Equally, do not turn a result for one named organism into a claim that every possible microorganism is absent.
5. Treat Moisture and Humic Acid as Context, Not Universal Quality Scores
If moisture is reported, note its method and basis. Moisture content alone does not establish water activity, shelf life or the microbiological condition of a product after storage.
If humic acid is listed, retain its method and reported result. Do not label a product adulterated or lower quality solely because the humic-to-fulvic relationship differs from an assumed ratio. Composition, formulation and analytical methods need to be considered together.
6. Separate Laboratory Accreditation from Report Verification
Check the laboratory’s claimed accreditation through the relevant accreditation body and examine the scope for the particular test. Laboratory accreditation does not automatically mean every method on every report is covered.
A register entry can help verify a laboratory’s accreditation status; it does not authenticate a PDF bearing that laboratory’s name. If the report is questionable, contact the issuing laboratory through independently obtained contact details and quote the report and sample numbers. The laboratory may require the client’s permission before discussing details.
An in-house result is not independent third-party evidence, but that fact alone does not make its analytical data meaningless. Assess independence, traceability, method and scope separately.
Questions to Ask about an Incomplete or Questionable COA
- Which product and batch does this report cover?
- Can the seller provide the complete report, including footnotes and additional pages?
- What method, reporting basis and units were used?
- If only “pass” is shown, what specification and result format support that conclusion?
- Can the issuing laboratory verify the report identifier?
- Does the accreditation claim cover the particular analysis?
- Are the reported tests sufficient for the specific claim being made?
Missing information is a reason to ask questions, not automatic proof that a document is forged. A laboratory absent from one register may be listed with a different accreditation body, or may not hold the accreditation claimed; verify before drawing a conclusion.
COA Reading Checklist
- Match product, formulation and batch.
- Record laboratory, report number, sample number and dates.
- Identify which tests are included and which questions remain unanswered.
- Keep each result with its original method, units and measurement basis.
- Read reporting limits, qualifications and footnotes.
- Separate concentration from serving or daily exposure.
- Distinguish total arsenic from inorganic arsenic.
- Check laboratory accreditation and test scope separately from document authenticity.
- Do not extend sample findings to all batches, clinical benefits or shelf life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find Golden Shilajit’s published reports?
Use the Lab Reports page and Batch Verification registry to review documented batches. Ask the seller to confirm the batch being supplied; publication alone does not establish current stock.
Does g/100g mean dry weight?
No. It expresses a mass ratio. Check whether the report states a dry-matter or as-received basis before comparing values.
Is a wet-weight figure always higher?
No. For the same measured substance, excluding moisture from the denominator generally increases the dry-weight concentration. Compare only with the relevant method and moisture basis understood.
Does “not detected” mean zero?
No. It describes the result under the method and reporting conditions used. Check the associated detection or reporting limit.
Does an accredited lab’s name prove a COA is genuine?
No. Verify the laboratory’s status and relevant scope, then contact the issuing laboratory if the document itself needs authentication.
Can one COA prove that a supplement is safe for everyone?
No. It records specified findings on an identified sample. It does not establish suitability for every person or answer every safety question.
Choose with Traceable Information
Use the report to understand the listed evidence, then review the product directions and format before buying. For a broader decision checklist, read our guide to buying Shilajit online.