At New Roots Herbal, we are relentless in our aim to make the best natural health products in the world. To achieve this, we have an extensive staff devoted to quality assurance.
With one of the most advanced laboratories in Canada, we are able to test over 800 raw materials using the latest in analytical equipment, employing a very wide spectrum of specialized and often specific methods. Our raw materials include herbs, vitamins, minerals, and nutraceuticals, as well as vegetable and fish oils. We test every single raw material lot that comes in, without exception.
Raw and finished product analytical testing is only one layer of quality assurance at New Roots Herbal. To ensure products’ adherence to all relevant Health Canada guidelines as well as labelling requirements, we employ numerous specialists dedicated to total quality assurance. They help ensure that what is on the label is what goes into the bottle. In addition, they ensure that all products meet all standards for safety and efficacy. Quality control is intimately linked to the production of every bottle at New Roots Herbal.
Our laboratory and quality control staff consists of 15 full time scientists.
Our team have strong backgrounds in procedural development of laboratory quality-management systems, and are proficient in qualitative and quantitative testing of raw materials and finished products.
Our Laboratory Director is specialized in method development and validation of natural health products and dietary supplements. Our staff’s research has been published in several peer-reviewed journals.
Our ISO quality-control experts maintain their knowledge at the leading edge by regularly attending seminars and training conferences.
Furthermore, we maintain an internal program of training, which helps ensure quality is implemented throughout the company’s processes. All products developed are done so with the collaboration of naturopathic physicians and associated PhDs.
We ensure products are free from contaminants and adulteration. Meeting the highest standards of identity, purity, and potency involves everyone at New Roots Herbal. On every level, we are committed to the manufacturing of the safest, highest-quality natural health products.
Our products (raw materials such as each production lot of the finished product) undergo testing for:
Identity: To identify an ingredient is to ensure that the ingredient matches the species it is claimed to be; for example, this is borage oil seed and no other seed. Our testing always ensures that the ingredient matches the label.
Potency: To confirm the potency of an ingredient is to ensure the ingredient is at the strength it is claimed to be; for example, grape seed will keep, contain, and meet the 95% proanthocyanidins label claim.
Oxidation: Some products can go rancid with time. Our oxidation testing absolutely ensures our products maintain the highest levels of quality and freshness, as well as the lowest level of peroxide, all the way through to expiration.
Disintegration: Capsules, softgels, and tablets must dissolve in the stomach; on the other hand, enteric-coated capsules, such as those of Acidophilus Ultra, must only dissolve in the intestines. Our disintegration testing mimics the human digestive system to ensure all products dissolve at the right place and at the right time.
Purity: To establish the purity of an ingredient is to test for freedom from contaminants. These contaminants include:
- Heavy metals
The Earth is permeated by natural levels of heavy metals. Ground crops are especially susceptible. Our testing guarantees the safety of our products. - Over 80 different pesticides, Total PCBs, Solvent residues
These chemicals are dangerous and can contaminate ingredients at any stage. We work only through our relationships with trusted suppliers. That said, our testing absolutely ensures our products are free from these contaminants and their dangers. - Aflatoxins, mycotoxins, Dioxins, Microbial Contamination
Testing only for microbial contamination is not enough. Our testing guarantees our products are free from microbial contamination, as well as any residue these bacteria can produce.
In conclusion
We invest over 600 hours per week testing thousands of raw material samples prior to inclusion in every New Roots Herbal product. All raw materials are tested for identity, purity, and potency to verify the accuracy and integrity of every certificate of analysis.
Our industry-specific scientific team employs advanced analytical equipment to examine the fingerprint of all the constituents of plant materials rather than only specific marker compounds. This permits us to truly determine the specific genus and species of every raw material, to confirm identity as well as potency for specific compounds that deliver therapeutic benefits, as well as freedom from contaminants.
The body of work being compiled within our analytical lab allows us to acknowledge seasonal and geographical variability of natural products, yet is also precise enough to recognize adulterated or spiked raw materials.
You can truly say that science is in our nature!
Our products undergo strict quality assurance. Read here for information about our LABORATORY.
