About the lab and quality

About the Lab

Laboratory

Our desire is to provide our customers with the highest quality and most effective products, to achieve this goal, New Roots Herbal tests its products in a state-of-the-art laboratory.

State-of-the-art laboratory certified by ISO17025

The 8,000 square foot (743 square meter) New Roots Herbal laboratory is ISO 17025 certified, an international standard that certifies by a reputable third party that the laboratory is capable of producing accurate measurement and calibration results in product testing, analysis and measurement.

At New Roots Herbal, we test every raw material that enters our facility for botanical content, potency, purity and freshness, and we rigorously test every ingredient and lot for the absence of mycotoxins (aflatoxins), over 80 types of pesticides including PCBs, heavy metals, bacteria and other microorganisms, mold and fungi, and other contaminants.

These tests are conducted by 22 New Roots Herbal scientists, six of whom are graduates of McGill University, a Canadian public university headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. McGill University is the oldest university in Canada and one of the most prestigious universities, ranking in the top 100 universities in the world.

Our lab, QC and QA departments are staffed with 3 PhDs, 7 Masters and 12 BScs, making us the strongest scientific team, with over 880 hours of testing and research every week.

Unparalleled Testing

We trust in science, not suppliers, which is why New Roots Herbal invests heavily in cutting edge technology.

It costs so much, we don't know of any competitors that invest as much in technology as we do.

 

Ongoing capital investment to conduct rigorous testing

The rigorous and high level of testing we perform requires state-of-the-art equipment, which is why New Roots Herbal continually invests in our lab. Our state-of-the-art equipment can detect parts per billion, ensuring accurate test results.

The tests we carry out using these instruments are in accordance with the USP standards of the United States Pharmacopeia, the most prestigious Pharmacopeia in the world, and we test our products with the safety of our users as our number one priority.

 

Establishment of the Microbiology Department enables more detailed analysis

Recently, we have added a microbiology section to our lab. Analysis of microbiological properties is very important for QA. This allows us to perform more detailed analysis of all New Roots Herbal products.

At New Roots Herbal, we pride ourselves on having state-of-the-art laboratories and a formidable scientific team to ensure we provide high-quality, effective products.

World Class Facilities

The lab includes 4 HPLC, 4 UHPLC, 2 GC-FID, 2 GC-MS, 1 Headspace, 2 Spectrophotometers, 1 ICP-OES, 1 UPLC-MS/MS, 1 HPTLC, 1 NIR, 1 Microscope, DNA Extraction/Purification Instrument, DNA Quantification Instrument, and Real-Time PCR Unit. Below are some of our major instruments:
4. HPLC
High Performance Liquid Chromatograph

4. HPLC

HPLC is a specialized technique for identifying and quantifying active ingredients in herbs, enzyme reaction products, and substances containing light absorption and chromophores. It is characterized by separation in a column and identification and determination of the amount by a detector, and is widely used for composition analysis of mixtures such as water-soluble vitamins and fat-soluble vitamins, and analysis of plant materials.
UPLC/MS (LC/MS-Triple Quad)
Ultra High Pressure Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometer – Dual Detector

UPLC/MS (LC/MS-Triple Quad)

If HPLC is the expert, LC-MS/MS is the superstar. High-pressure micropumps and powerful detectors combine to provide highly sensitive analysis. It is a cutting-edge analytical tool with a wide range of applications. Used for effective analysis of herbs and medicinal ingredients. Separate samples with UPLC and ionize with MS. Get accurate results from electronic signatures of compounds. Test for black cohosh glycosides and residual antibiotics in royal jelly. LC-MS/MS is important for the analysis of dietary supplements.
2. GC-FID/MS
Gas Chromatography - Flame Ionization Detector/Mass Spectrometer

2. GC-FID/MS

GC is used to analyze volatile molecules with high melting points and does not require a solvent or liquid mobile phase. GC-FID/MS is suitable for solvent testing, GC-MS is used to identify and measure the amount of molecules, and GC-FID is used to measure the amount. GC measures the amount of fatty acids and essential oils, and GC-MS is used to test for PCBs and pesticides. Headspace GC-FID is suitable for solvent testing, where the exclusion of contaminants is important.
ICP-OES
Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy

ICP-OES

ICP is a specialized technique for metals and minerals analysis that can accurately determine the identity and amount of metals such as iron, magnesium, lead and mercury. In ICP-OES, the sample is atomized by plasma and the light emitted is analyzed. We use this method to detect trace metal contamination such as mercury, arsenic, lead and cadmium and confirm their presence in foods grown in the earth and products that come from the earth. ICP is an efficient and reliable method for testing for metals.
2. Spectrophotometer

2. Spectrophotometer

Spectrophotometers are cost-effective tools that measure the amount of a substance based on the absorption or transmission of light. They are also used on NASA rovers to measure the intensity of light to determine the amount of a substance. Our spectrophotometers measure enzyme activity, anthocyanidin content, and more.
HPTLC
High-precision thin-layer chromatograph

HPTLC

HPTLC is an effective tool to reference and verify the fingerprint of plant material. Components are separated on a plate and the bands visualized under UV light. Robotic automation can improve accuracy and is used to detect mycotoxins, etc.
Near infrared
Near-infrared spectroscopy

Near infrared

NIR is a versatile tool used to test substances. It checks the freshness and quality of plants and identifies them by comparing fingerprints. NIR uses reference models for reliable identification, analyzing the transmission characteristics of specific wavelengths of light. It can test almost any substance, including herbs and amino acids. Only the highest quality herbs that meet the passing criteria are included in the reference models.
microscope

microscope

The venerable microscope remains a staple in any lab. Of course, we use a modern light microscope. This form of microscope utilises a focused beam of light that is focused by a condenser lens onto a specific point on the specimen. We use it to examine the condition of broken cells in our Chlorella sample.