Kratom alkaloid, heavy-metal and microbial testing
Published surveys have found mitragynine ranging from under 4 mg/g to over 60 mg/g across retail kratom, nickel and lead at concerning levels in most products, and bacterial contamination in the majority. Our panel quantifies mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine separately, runs the FDA-relevant metals by ICP-MS, and screens the microbial limits the American Kratom Association GMP program expects.
- From
- $119
- Turnaround
- 5–7 business days
- Certificate
- Public, hashed, video-linked
What the panel measures
| Test | Method | Instrument | Reports as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mitragynine | MethodHPLC-UV vs certified reference | InstrumentAgilent 1290 Infinity II UHPLC | Reports asmg/g and % w/w |
| 7-hydroxymitragynine | MethodLC-MS/MS, separate quantitation | InstrumentAgilent 6490 Triple Quadrupole LC/MS | Reports asmg/g; LOQ 0.01 mg/g |
| Alkaloid profile | MethodLC-MS/MS: speciogynine, paynantheine, speciociliatine, mitraphylline | InstrumentAgilent 6490 Triple Quadrupole LC/MS | Reports asmg/g each; add-on |
| Heavy metals | MethodICP-MS, FDA EAM 4.7-type digestion: Pb, As, Cd, Hg, Ni, Cr | InstrumentAgilent 7850 ICP-MS | Reports asµg/g vs AKA limits; add-on $169 |
| Microbial limits | MethodUSP <61>/<62>: APC, yeast and mold, E. coli, Salmonella, Enterobacteriaceae | InstrumentMicrobiology suite | Reports asCFU/g and presence/absence; add-on $239 |
| Pesticide residue | MethodLC-MS/MS and GC-MS multi-residue | InstrumentAgilent 6490 Triple Quadrupole LC/MS | Reports asµg/kg; add-on $139 |
Accepted: Leaf powder, 25 g Extracts, 5 g Capsules Shots and beverages
Compounds: Mitragynine 7-hydroxymitragynine Speciogynine Paynantheine Speciociliatine Mitraphylline
Sample requirements and shipping
What to send, how to pack it, and what the intake team records when it arrives.
- 1Leaf powder: 25 g in the original sealed retail package where possible, or a labelled zip bag. Extracts: 5 g or two unopened units. Shots and beverages: two unopened units. Capsules: twenty.
- 2Add material for every panel you order. Metals, microbiology and pesticides each consume sample; the intake builder totals the grams.
- 3Ship at room temperature on the prepaid UPS Ground label. Do not decant powder into another container; the original packaging is part of the record and is photographed at intake.
- 4Mark the lot or batch on the package and nothing else. The bench sees a blind code.
- 5Keep a retained portion from the same lot. If a result is disputed, that portion is what a retest needs.
Kratom testing prices
Tests
| Test | Category | Price |
|---|---|---|
| mitragynine quantitation | CategoryAlkaloid potency | Price$119 |
| mitragynine and natural 7-OH panel | CategoryAlkaloid potency | Price$149 |
| natural 7-OH quantitation | CategoryAlkaloid potency | Price$129 |
| seven-alkaloid profile | CategoryAlkaloid potency | Price$199 |
| expanded natural alkaloid profile | CategoryAlkaloid potency | Price$279 |
| identity by microscopy | CategoryIdentity | Price$149 |
| four-metal panel | CategoryMetals | Price$149 |
| six-metal panel | CategoryMetals | Price$249 |
| pesticide panel - leaf and powder | CategoryPesticides | Price$269 |
| residual-solvent panel - 24 targets | CategoryResidual solvents | Price$99 |
| mycotoxin panel | CategoryMycotoxins | Price$69 |
| routine microbiology panel | CategoryMicrobiology | Price$129 |
| Salmonella culture screen | CategoryMicrobiology | Price$119 |
| Salmonella PCR screen | CategoryMicrobiology | Price$79 |
| loss on drying | CategoryPhysical quality | Price$29 |
| water activity | CategoryPhysical quality | Price$29 |
Packages
| Package | Includes | Price |
|---|---|---|
| potency and metals package | Includesmitragynine and natural 7-OH panel, four-metal panel | Price$269 |
| core quality package | Includesseven-alkaloid profile, four-metal panel, routine microbiology panel | Price$389 |
| expanded quality package | Includesseven-alkaloid profile, four-metal panel, routine microbiology panel, pesticide panel - leaf and powder, residual-solvent panel - 24 targets, mycotoxin panel | Price$739 |
| complex-product quality package | Includesexpanded natural alkaloid profile, six-metal panel, routine microbiology panel, pesticide panel - complex finished matrix, residual-solvent panel - 24 targets, mycotoxin panel | Price$989 |
Per sample. Packages bundle the tests a vendor needs for one lot at a lower total than ordering them separately. Expedited turnaround adds 100%, priority 200%.
Why the method matters
7-OH reported separately
Some labs report combined alkaloid totals. We quantify 7-hydroxymitragynine on its own by LC-MS/MS, because it is the alkaloid regulators and the AKA watch, and because enhanced extracts can carry far more of it than leaf.
Nickel and chromium included
FDA’s ICP-MS survey of kratom found hazardous nickel and lead in several products. Our metals panel reports Ni and Cr alongside the big four, not just Pb, As, Cd and Hg.
Authentic Agilent bench, OEM consumables
Every instrument was bought new through Agilent, Charles River and MilliporeSigma authorized channels, installed and performance-qualified by certified engineers, and serviced by Quantum Analytics. Columns, lamps, seals, cartridges, canisters and reference standards are OEM or Thermo Fisher lot-traced; no third-party refills, no re-used cartridges, no expired lysate. The instrument ID, column lot and standard lot are printed on every certificate.
How each result is produced
Mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine
Powder is extracted in acidified methanol, filtered and injected onto an Agilent 1290 HPLC-DAD against a certified mitragynine reference standard; the result is reported in mg/g and as percent by weight. 7-hydroxymitragynine occurs at a small fraction of mitragynine in natural leaf and co-elutes with other indole alkaloids under most UV methods, so we quantify it separately by LC-MS/MS on the Agilent 6490 with a 0.01 mg/g limit of quantitation. Reporting the two separately matters now that products enriched in 7-OH are a stated regulatory concern.
Metals
Mitragyna speciosa takes up metals from soil and irrigation water, and nickel and chromium are added during grinding on steel equipment. Published surveys of retail kratom found nickel and lead above tolerable daily intakes in most products. We digest the sample in closed vessels and read lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, nickel and chromium by ICP-MS on an Agilent 7850 against the American Kratom Association GMP limits.
Microbiology
Kratom is a dried, ground agricultural product handled in bulk. Surveys have found Salmonella, E. coli and high aerobic counts in a majority of retail samples, and the 2018 multistate Salmonella outbreak was traced to kratom. The routine panel enumerates aerobic plate count, yeast and mould, Enterobacteriaceae and generic E. coli and screens for Salmonella by culture or PCR, reported against USP <61>/<62> and AKA GMP limits.
Testing to the AKA GMP program
The American Kratom Association GMP Standards Program expects each lot to be tested by an outside laboratory for alkaloid content, heavy metals and microbial contaminants, with results available to the customer. Our certificates are public by accession number, name the method and instrument on each line, and can be linked from a product page or QR code. Vendors can publish them automatically through the WooCommerce plugin or the API.
The bench this runs on
Agilent 1290 Infinity II UHPLC
Purity and potency by UV; 1300 bar, sub-2 µm columns, chromatogram printed on the certificate.
Agilent 6490 Triple Quadrupole LC/MS
Identity by accurate mass and MRM transitions; sub-ppt quantitation with isotope dilution.
Agilent 7850 ICP-MS
Elemental impurities and toxic metals to sub-ppb, internal-standardized.
Microbiology suite
USP <61>/<62> counts and specified organisms; USP <51> challenge.
Purchased new through authorized channels, installed and performance-qualified by certified engineers, run on OEM consumables. Instrument IDs are printed on every certificate. See the full bench.
Kratom testing compared
| Gold Standard Analytics | Typical | |
|---|---|---|
| 7-OH quantified separately | Gold Standard AnalyticsYes, LC-MS/MS | TypicalOften combined or not reported |
| Metals beyond Pb/As/Cd/Hg | Gold Standard AnalyticsNi and Cr included | TypicalUsually four only |
| Microbial | Gold Standard AnalyticsUSP <61>/<62> in-house | TypicalOften outsourced |
| Public certificate | Gold Standard AnalyticsYes | TypicalVendor PDF |
| Price from | Gold Standard Analytics$119 | Typical$100–$250 |
Named, sourced comparisons with individual laboratories are on the compare page.
Questions about kratom testing
Can I see the video of my sample being opened?
Yes. Every package is opened on camera, each container is photographed, and the footage is linked to your accession. Custody video and photos are kept for three years; the retained sample itself is kept 90 days for guarantee retests.
What happens if my result fails?
It is published like any other result, with the method, instrument and specification shown. You may order a retest of the retained sample; we never re-run to obtain a better number.
Do you meet AKA GMP testing requirements?
The alkaloid, heavy-metal and microbial panels cover what the AKA GMP standards program asks a vendor to test per lot. We are not the certifying body; your auditor reviews our certificates.
How much material?
25 g of powder covers alkaloids, metals and microbial. Pesticide residue needs another 25 g.
Can you test extracts and shots?
Yes; extracts are diluted and reported per gram and per serving; beverages per mL and per bottle.
What are typical mitragynine levels?
Published surveys report roughly 4–60 mg/g in leaf products; extracts run far higher. We report your number against your label claim.
Do you test 7-OH tablets and enhanced extracts?
Yes. Products with elevated 7-hydroxymitragynine are quantified by LC-MS/MS the same way as leaf, and the certificate can report 7-OH as a fraction of total alkaloids. Several states now restrict enhanced 7-OH products; we test lawful material and do not advise on legality.
Can you screen for adulterants such as tianeptine or phenibut?
Yes, on request. Targeted LC-MS/MS screens for tianeptine, phenibut and synthetic opioids are quoted per sample at intake because the method depends on the matrix.
Which package should a vendor order?
The core quality package (potency, six metals, routine microbiology) covers what the AKA GMP program expects for a leaf product. Extracts and finished products need the expanded or complex-product package, which adds residual solvents, pesticides and mycotoxins.
Do results transfer to my product page?
Yes. Every certificate has a public URL and QR code. The WooCommerce plugin publishes new certificates to the matching product automatically, and the API returns them as JSON.
Method references: Prozialeck et al., Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, kratom mitragynine, metals and microbes · FDA, Elemental analysis of kratom products using ICP-MS
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Submit a sample
An invoice is issued at submission and the prepaid label is emailed when payment lands. Certificates publish in 5–7 business days.