ETHA Lab Testing

ETHA Natural Botanicals

Many companies rely on one single outside lab to provide them with test results. At ETHA, we supplement these results with our own research and extensive in-house lab testing.

Such comprehensive lab testing not only ensures accuracy of results, but allows ETHA to make a contribution to the kratom science field as a whole.

ETHA Natural Botanicals
ETHA Natural Botanicals

ETHA Exclusive Research

As a result of our Research and Development team’s in-depth lab testing and substantial research, ETHA customers derive significant benefits of kratom. Our clients benefits from cutting edge, leading products, as well as research-tested supported answers to some frequently asked questions.

One common and frequently asked question was answered after conducting our kratom herbal tea research. We learned that when making kratom herbal tea, the hot water will not extract all the alkaloids out of the kratom leaves. However, adding lemon juice helps extract some additional alkaloids out of the kratom.

We understands that laboratory testing with proper equipment is very important for shedding light on medicinal plants. Plant morphology can vary tremendously. It is based on environmental factors such as: soil conditions, amount of sunlight, frequency of available water, natural fertilization, pollution levels, and even what is living within the plant.  Any human contact and interaction with the plant will also impact the plant.

Additional factors, such as how it is harvested, processed, where it is stored, and how long it sits on shelves are also important to consider. These factors can impact how the plant develops, matures, and reproduces. Understanding what happens at the molecular level to the bio-active alkaloids is also important. 

These differences can be very subtle and even invisible to the eye. Nevertheless, these factors can be extremely important to the effectiveness and safety of your botanical products.

ETHA Natural Botanicals
ETHA Natural Botanicals

Are All Lab Tests The Same?

We emphasize the importance of lab testing. The quality, consistency, and frequency of such testing drastically varies from vendor to vendor.

Unfortunately, some vendors have even been exposed for providing false test results and copy/pasting other test results and applying them to their own products. As part of our effort to bring superior quality, we put much emphasis on educating our customers and training them to become savvy consumers.

We are happy to see vendors and the botanical industry incorporating more testing and recognizing its importance.

How can you, as the consumer, determine which test results are real? Moreover, even if you know that a result is real, how can you determine the quality of a particular test? And, whether a vendor is testing correctly? Here are some things to consider when looking at a lab test:

ETHA Natural Botanicals

Spot the "Red Flags"

  • Each test is like a fingerprint: No two tests should be identical. Do NOT just look at the lot/batch/harvest number and the mitragynine percentage results. These numbers and percentages are easy to change with counterfeits.  Look at the graph itself and the details of the results.  All of it must be different for each test. Even testing from the same exact batch will have some visible differences.
  • Date of test: just like our check-ups, blood work and exams, lab tests MUST be current to be valid. Throughout the course of our recent field research, we have came across in-stock product from a reputable company on the shelves in a local store, with lab test dates over a year old! This is absolutely NOT acceptable.
  • Size of the batch/harvest being tested? If a vendor is applying a single test result to hundreds of kilos of kratom or more, that is a problem.
  • How many samples are taken from the batch/harvest to test? For the results to be validated, multiple tests should be done for the same batch.
  • When are the test samples collected and sent to the lab? Some suppliers will do testing on their botanicals before they ship to a vendor. Although this is good, there are contamination problems and other issues that can occur after a supplier performs its testing.  The handling of a botanical from storage to shipment to repackaging can create multiple contamination issues.  The testing must be done at the end of the transportation process, once the botanicals have arrived at their final destination.
  • Experience of the particular lab and whether they can identify the botanical and its molecular composition is important.  Make sure to ask if the lab has a stable sample for reference and individual reference samples of the measured alkaloids.
  • Quality testing machines used? Are they using a Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) machine? Our team recently invested in a Super Critical, High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) machine to expand our in-house lab tests and analysis.
  • Compliance with Kratom Consumer Protection Act (KCPA): make sure that if a vendor claims compliance with the KCPA they actually label their packaging appropriately with all the requirements as specifically mandated by the KCPA. Same goes for vendors who say they are American Kratom Association (AKA) approved, make sure they are actually AKA approved.
ETHA Natural Botanicals

At ETHA Labs, we use well-established laboratory procedures to test our botanicals. We use solvent-extraction and purification techniques to analyze bulk plant alkaloids. We also partner with 3rd-party, independent testing laboratories, to provide confidence and transparency in our botanical analysis.

Our partner labs specialize in kratom analysis and help us to identify adulterants and heavy metals (lead) to ensure your kratom is safe. These labs utilize HPLC to analyze our botanicals. Testing done internally at ETHA Labs as well as through third-party, independent labs means you can trust in the quality and safety of ETHA kratom. 

ETHA Natural Botanicals

The ETHA team has over 40+ years of R&D experience with Fortune 50 companies. Likewise, we have been extensively researching and testing botanicals such as kratom and continue to improve and build on our strategies, processes and techniques. We have discovered that not all labs will produce consistent results. Example, grinding the kratom leaves finer will release more alkaloids and test higher than the same kratom that is course ground.

Our R&D team never stops pushing itself and will continue to lead the industry in open and objective communication.  As a result, we only provide you with 100% validated products. We guarantee kratom purity, origin, process and production of the highest standards. Our team works harder and smarter so you can have the peace of mind you need to Live Fully!

ETHA Natural Botanicals

There have historically been 2 main concerns:

First Issue: Inconsistent Mitragynine levels have perpetuated concerns about tolerance and addiction; one batch may be stronger than the next, requiring different doses to reach the same threshold.
Solution: Thoroughly testing kratom products and providing understandable labeling on each package.
Second Issue: Unsanitary harvest and storage conditions have allowed low quality kratom to be produced and sent around the world.
Solution: Dry-heat Pasteurization or dry-heat sterilization as well as boiling kratom tea before consumption will remove harmful contaminants without degrading alkaloids.

Third Issue: Adulterated (may have been contaminated) with illicit drugs, or to increase 7-hydroxymitragynine
Solution: Purchasing from reputable vendors with published COA’s, certificates of authenticity, in an easily accessible format.

What can companies do to ensure sterile, safe kratom for you?
– Work with harvesters directly, who handle kratom in sanitary conditions.
– Adhere to GMP, good manufacturing practices, and Food manufacturing standards. -
– Use dry-heat pasteurization as a further preventative measure Research conducted by NIH Research provides evidence that our tableting manufacture process, extreme high pressures, also reduces potential biologic contaminations.