· 4 min read
How to read a herbal tea lab report
We publish a laboratory report for every batch. Most people have never read one, so here is a guide.
01 Heavy metals
Lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury are the four that matter for plants, because roots pull them from soil. FSSAI sets limits in parts per million for herbs and spices. A good report shows each metal well under its limit or 'not detected'. Lead is the one to look at first; it is the most common problem in Indian spices.
02 Pesticide residue
Labs screen against a panel of common agricultural chemicals. The best result is 'below limit of quantification' across the panel. Where a herb is wild-collected, like gurmar, residues are rarely an issue; where it is farmed, like fenugreek, this section matters.
03 Microbial counts
Total plate count, yeast and mould, E. coli and Salmonella. Dried herbs always carry some harmless microbes, so the first two have limits rather than zeros; the last two must be absent. Boiling water deals with most of this anyway, which is one more reason to use water just off the boil.
04 Moisture
Usually a single percentage. Under about ten percent and the blend will keep without mould. Higher, and it will clump and spoil.
Vanmool infusions are food products, not medicines. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or managing a medical condition, please speak to your doctor before use.
