Himalayan Healing · Educational guide

How to Read a Shilajit COA: A Step-by-Step Guide

Quick answer

To read a shilajit Certificate of Analysis (COA), first confirm that the report identifies the product and batch you are buying. Then check who tested it, when the report was issued, which methods were used, what each unit means, whether results are below a stated detection or quantification limit, and which contaminants were actually included. For arsenic, check whether the lab measured total arsenic or separately identified inorganic arsenic. A COA reports results for the sample tested; it does not, by itself, prove that every batch is safe, authentic, legally compliant in every country, or clinically effective.

A 10-point COA checklist

  1. Match the product form and batch or lot number.
  2. Verify the laboratory and report identity.
  3. Check the report date, status, and any superseding version.
  4. Confirm what sample the lab received and whether it sampled it.
  5. Read the method listed beside each result.
  6. Understand the units and serving size before comparing numbers.
  7. Interpret “not detected,” “less than,” and “not quantifiable” correctly.
  8. Check arsenic speciation rather than assuming total arsenic is inorganic arsenic.
  9. Review the full test panel and the gaps in it.
  10. Compare results with the applicable product specification and market rules.

This guide explains each check using examples from publicly available Himalayan Healing reports. The examples are identified by report and sample so readers can inspect the original documents. They are not a comparison of different brands or a guarantee about a product or batch that is not named in the report.

What is a shilajit COA?

A Certificate of Analysis is a laboratory document that records results for specific tests on a specific sample. The report may also identify the product, sample number, lot or batch, laboratory, methods, units, reporting limits, dates, and the person who authorized the results.

The title “Certificate of Analysis” alone does not show that a report covers every contaminant or matches the jar in your hand. Read the report itself, including its notes, footnotes, method references, and scope.

Step 1: Match the report to the resin and batch

Start with the product name and form. A report for resin is not automatically a report for drops, capsules, tablets, or a raw ingredient. Processing and formulation can change what a finished-product test represents.

Next, look for the batch or lot number. Compare it with the number printed on the product label. If the report has no lot number, ask the seller whether the sample can be traced to the product batch you are considering.

Example: The AGROLAB LUFA comprehensive report on our laboratory reports page identifies Order 3674612, Sample 765188, and Batch SJ2509. Those identifiers let a reader connect that report to the named sample and lot. The report does not automatically apply to a different batch.

Also check whether the tested material was a finished product, a raw ingredient, or a sample supplied by the manufacturer. These are not interchangeable. A raw-material result does not, by itself, show the result in the final jar after processing.

Step 2: Verify the laboratory and the report

Look for the laboratory’s full legal name, location, report number, issue date, and final or draft status. Check that the report is complete and has not been replaced by a later version. A report that says “supersedes” identifies an earlier version that is no longer current.

Accreditation can add useful information, but read its scope. Accreditation applies to specified tests and activities; it should not be inferred for every line simply because a lab has an accreditation mark. The AGROLAB report states that reported activities are accredited to DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025:2018, while identifying exceptions with a marker. Read those markers and the report’s notes.

If you need to verify a report, use the laboratory’s official contact details found independently on its website. Ask whether the report number is genuine and whether it has been amended. A logo or stamp in a PDF is not a substitute for verification.

Step 3: Check dates, sample handling, and report status

A report date tells you when results were released, but it is not necessarily the date a product was manufactured or the date the sample was collected. Look separately for sample acceptance, testing dates, and the report date.

Read the sampling note. Some laboratories test a sample supplied by the customer and state that results apply “as received.” In that case, the laboratory may not have selected the sample from the production batch. A lab result cannot establish how representative a submitted sample was unless the sampling process is described.

Check the status and version history. A final report is different from a draft, and a revised report may replace an earlier result. Keep the whole report, not just a cropped table.

Step 4: Identify what was tested

Read the sample name and description carefully. Ask:

  • Is the sample resin, drops, powder, or another form?
  • Is it a finished product or an ingredient?
  • Is the report for a named lot, or does the report omit batch identity?
  • Does the stated serving size match the product directions?
  • Was the sample tested as received, or on a dry-matter basis?

Separate reports should not be combined into one imagined “complete COA” unless you can confirm that they refer to the same batch and the same product form. For example, a composition report can help describe a sample’s fulvic and humic acid results, while a different report may cover heavy metals. If the composition report does not state a lot number, do not assume it belongs to the same lot as a separate safety report.

Step 5: Read the method and the test scope

The method tells you how the laboratory measured a result. Examples include ICP-MS or ICP-OES for elemental analysis and UPLC-UV for a particular fulvic and humic acid method.

The method matters because different methods can have different scopes, sample preparation steps, reporting limits, and measurement uncertainty. Two reports may not be directly comparable just because both display “arsenic” or “fulvic acid.”

For elemental testing, ICP-MS and ICP-OES are techniques, not a complete description of the whole test. Look for the method reference, the analytes included, and the sample preparation details where available. For a fulvic acid percentage, check the method and whether the result is reported on original matter or dry matter.

Step 6: Understand units and convert to a serving only when appropriate

Common units include:

Unit What it describes
mg/kg Milligrams of analyte per kilogram of sample; by mass, this is also parts per million (ppm).
µg/kg Micrograms per kilogram of sample; by mass, this is also parts per billion (ppb).
mg/100 g Milligrams in 100 grams of sample.
µg per serving Micrograms in the serving size stated in that report.
% A percentage; check the method and whether it is on original matter or dry matter.
CFU/g Colony-forming units per gram, used for certain microbiological results.

For a resin serving of 500 mg, first convert the serving to 0.5 g. Because 1 mg/kg is numerically equal to 1 µg/g:

Result in mg/kg × serving in grams = estimated µg per serving

Worked example: The AGROLAB result table for Batch SJ2509 lists total arsenic at 0.98 mg/kg. For a 500 mg (0.5 g) serving:

0.98 mg/kg × 0.5 g = 0.49 µg total arsenic in the serving

This is a unit conversion for the tested sample. It does not identify the arsenic species, establish a health-risk conclusion, or prove that the sample is the same as a different batch.

Do not use the resin formula for a liquid drop serving measured in millilitres unless the report provides the necessary density and the product’s dose basis. A report that states results per 0.5 mL is not directly comparable to one that states results per 500 mg.

Step 7: Interpret “not detected” and reporting limits

“Not detected” does not mean zero. It means the substance was not detected by that method above the stated detection limit. “Less than” or “<” generally means the result was below a specified reporting or quantification threshold; the exact interpretation depends on the laboratory’s definitions.

Look for:

  • LOD (limit of detection): the level at which the method can distinguish a signal from background with defined confidence.
  • LOQ (limit of quantification): the level at which the laboratory can quantify the substance with specified performance.
  • MRL or reporting limit: a laboratory-specific minimum reporting threshold; check the report’s glossary.
  • n.q. (not quantifiable): the lab’s stated result was below the applicable quantification level.

For example, a result written as “<0.50 mg/kg” is not the same as “0.00 mg/kg.” Preserve the “<” sign when transcribing results. Do not replace it with zero or “absent.”

Step 8: Check arsenic form: total or inorganic

An elemental test can report total arsenic without identifying the chemical forms present. Arsenic speciation is a separate analysis that distinguishes specified forms, such as inorganic arsenic species, when the laboratory has a suitable validated method for the sample matrix.

The AGROLAB report for Batch SJ2509 reports arsenic as 0.98 mg/kg. The report also recommends determining inorganic arsenic. That means the total-arsenic result must not be presented as an inorganic-arsenic result. If a laboratory cannot perform speciation, report only total arsenic and say that the available report does not identify the inorganic fraction. Do not infer that all total arsenic is inorganic, or that none of it is.

The report’s result table lists 0.98 mg/kg. A separate narrative note in the PDF says 0.70 mg/kg; the laboratory has identified that note as a typographical error. The value used in the worked calculation above is the result-table value, 0.98 mg/kg. Readers should be able to open the full report and see the source document.

Regulatory limits, where they apply, can depend on the contaminant form and the exact food or supplement category. Do not compare a total-arsenic result with a limit that applies specifically to inorganic arsenic.

Step 9: Review the full panel, not just the headline result

A “heavy metals tested” statement does not tell you which elements were tested. Check the report lines for arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury individually. Then review whether other relevant categories were included, such as:

  • Microbiology, for example E. coli, Salmonella, or yeast and mould
  • Pesticide residues
  • Mycotoxins, including relevant aflatoxins
  • Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
  • Other contaminants relevant to the source material or processing
  • Composition tests such as fulvic or humic acid

No single panel tests for everything. A result applies only to the analytes and sample that the report identifies.

The AGROLAB comprehensive report for Batch SJ2509 includes a broader panel than heavy metals alone, including pesticide multiresidue screening, mycotoxins, PAHs, and additional parameters. Where the report says a substance was not detected above a method limit, read that as a result bounded by that limit—not proof of absolute zero.

The separate AGROLAB composition report dated 6 January 2026 reports fulvic acid at 56.8%, humic acid at 2.9%, and combined fulvic and humic acids at 59.7%, using a UPLC-UV method at 274 nm and reporting on original matter. It identifies Sample 841653 / 2 but does not state a batch or lot number. Do not attach these composition results to Batch SJ2509 unless the laboratory or manufacturer confirms that the samples are linked.

Step 10: Compare results with the right specification

A number is not automatically a “pass” or “fail.” You need the relevant specification, the product category, the market where it is sold, the unit and basis of the result, and—where relevant—the form of the contaminant measured.

Rules differ across the United States, United Kingdom, European Union, Australia, and Canada. For example, EU contaminant legislation sets maximum levels for specified contaminants and food categories; Health Canada’s Quality of Natural Health Products Guide discusses product specifications and contaminant controls for natural health products; Australia’s TGA guidance applies to products regulated as listed medicines. U.S. dietary supplement CGMP guidance addresses specifications and testing responsibilities. A COA alone does not establish legal compliance in every market.

Use current official guidance for the product’s actual legal classification and destination market. A company’s quality or regulatory specialist should assess the relevant requirements before making a compliance statement.

What the published reports show—and what they do not

Himalayan Healing publishes laboratory reports at Laboratory Reports & Certificates of Analysis. The published AGROLAB comprehensive report identifies Batch SJ2509 and reports total arsenic at 0.98 mg/kg. The arithmetic estimate for 500 mg is 0.49 µg total arsenic per serving. The report does not provide arsenic speciation, so it does not establish the inorganic arsenic concentration.

A separate Eurofins report dated 24 March 2025 reports arsenic at 1.26 µg per 500 mg serving for its submitted sample. This is a different report and sample. Do not treat the two values as a same-batch comparison or a trend unless batch and sample identity, product form, method, and serving basis are verified.

The public report archive also contains drop-form reports whose results are stated per 0.5 mL. Those results should not be compared directly with resin results per 500 mg.

Common COA-reading mistakes

  • Treating a report for one batch as proof for all batches.
  • Assuming “not detected” means exactly zero.
  • Treating total arsenic as if it were inorganic arsenic.
  • Comparing mg/kg with µg per serving without converting units.
  • Comparing resin results with drops results without accounting for form and dose.
  • Treating a long mineral list or a high fulvic acid percentage as proof of safety, authenticity, or clinical benefit.
  • Looking only at the first page and missing the methods, remarks, limits, or superseded status.
  • Assuming that a laboratory logo proves every test is within its accredited scope.
  • Calling a report “compliant” without naming the rule, market, product category, and result basis.

Frequently asked questions

What should I look for first on a shilajit COA?

Match the sample name, product form, batch or lot number, and serving size to the product you are evaluating. Then check the laboratory, report date and status, methods, units, limits, and test panel.

Does a COA prove that shilajit is safe?

No single COA can prove universal safety. It provides evidence about the sample tested and the tests listed. Consider the batch identity, sampling, test coverage, reporting limits, applicable specifications, and how the product is used.

Does “not detected” mean there is none?

No. It means the method did not detect the analyte above its stated detection or reporting limit. Read the limit and the laboratory’s result definitions.

Is total arsenic the same as inorganic arsenic?

No. A total-arsenic result does not identify how much is inorganic. That requires an appropriate speciation test. If the lab did not perform speciation, the report should be described as total arsenic only.

How do I convert mg/kg to micrograms in a 500 mg serving?

For a solid serving, convert 500 mg to 0.5 g, then multiply the result in mg/kg by 0.5. For example, 0.98 mg/kg × 0.5 g equals 0.49 µg per 500 mg serving. This is a conversion, not a safety assessment.

Can I compare a resin report with a drops report?

Only after checking that the samples, dose units, product forms, density where relevant, and methods make the comparison meaningful. A result per 0.5 mL is not automatically comparable with a result per 500 mg.

What if the report has no batch number?

Ask the seller or manufacturer to identify the batch represented by the sample. Until traceability is established, do not assume the result applies to the batch on a product label.

Does a high fulvic acid result prove a product is better?

Not by itself. Check the method, sample identity, whether the result is on original or dry matter, and whether the report is for the batch being considered. A composition result does not replace contaminant testing.

How often should a shilajit COA be updated?

There is no single interval that makes every report current. Check whether the report matches the batch being sold, when the sample was taken, whether the product or process has changed, and what the applicable quality system requires.

Conclusion

The most useful shilajit COA is one you can connect to the product and batch, interpret in the original units, and evaluate within the limits of its methods and panel. Read the complete report, preserve qualifiers such as “<” and “not detected,” and distinguish total arsenic from inorganic arsenic. If a detail is missing or inconsistent, ask the seller or laboratory for clarification before drawing a conclusion.

Himalayan Healing sells shilajit and publishes its laboratory reports. The examples in this guide are provided to show how to read those documents; readers can inspect the complete reports through the laboratory reports page. This educational guide is not a guarantee of safety, legal compliance, authenticity, or health benefit.

Sources and further reading

Himalayan Healing laboratory documents

Official guidance

Educational information only. Read each laboratory report in full and check current requirements for the product and market concerned.