PLEASE SUBMIT SAMPLES TO OUR MAILING ADDRESS: 200 S. MAIN STREET, SUITE 130-150, SEBASTOPOL, CA 95472

Comprehensive Adulteration To Meet Your Needs

It’s taken years to build our extensive database of authenticated BRMs and CRMs, which we believe is crucial to provide the most robust species ID DNA testing service possible.

The LeafWorks® Adulteration DNA ID Test identifies common adulterants and fillers that may be present in raw materials or finished products, and can be adapted to include other special requests. Ideal for both single-ingredient materials and complex blends, this service uses a highly sensitive DNA sequencing method to deliver reliable detection of adulterants. In addition to public resources, LeafWorks' Botanical DNA Database includes thousands of carefully curated Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) and authenticated Botanical Reference Materials (BRMs) from expert botanists and mycologists, CRM providers, and our collaborations with herbaria, such as the Missouri Botanical Garden. Our method has been extensively validated to ensure accurate detection of both target and non-target species based on this comprehensive database. 

Why Choose LeafWorks for Adulteration Screening

Unmatched Expertise in Botanical Genetics: The LeafWorks team is led by experts at the forefront of their fields in plant and fungal genomics, state-of-the-art bioinformatics and sequencing-based method development. We specialize in (and love) working with complex genomes and species with intricate evolutionary and life histories.

Taxonomy Meets Industry Insight: Our PhDs have a deep understanding of taxonomy, species biology, and species relationships combined with expertise in genetics and genetic analysis. This unique knowledge, along with our insights into the nuances of natural product sourcing, allows us to identify species and potential adulterants that others may miss.

Species-Specific Precision: Our DNA assays target regions specific to adulterants or non-target species, ensuring that we can detect even the most elusive contaminants.

Extensive Reference Database: Our database contains thousands of authenticated Botanical Reference Materials (BRMs) and Certified Reference Materials (CRMs), carefully curated from trusted sources, and it’s continually expanding to cover more adulterants across natural products.

Rigorous Validation: Our adulteration ID pipeline has been extensively tested to ensure the highest standards of accuracy and reproducibility in adulteration detection.

The DNA Advantage In Adulteration: DNA is stable and reliable for identifying adulterants. Unlike chemical methods, DNA signatures of adulterants cannot be masked by overlapping chemistries, ensuring accurate identification regardless of product form. This is an area where the power of DNA really shines.

Blend-Ready Accuracy: DNA testing offers definitive results even in complex, multi-ingredient products where traditional methods may struggle.

Key Benefits of the LeafWorks® Adulteration DNA ID Test

  • Reliable Identification: Detect common adulterants and fillers in raw materials, finished products, or complex blends, ensuring purity.

  • Extensive Database: Access one of the largest collections of botanical reference materials from certified and authenticated sources, including American Herbal Pharmacopeia and the Missouri Botanical Garden, the fifth largest herbarium in the world.

  • Versatile Testing: We are pros at DNA extraction in a wide range of materials, including those with difficult-to-extract, trace, or degraded DNA, giving us the input extract we need to ensure accurate results for both single ingredients and blends.

  • Regulatory Compliance: Our test helps meet regulatory compliance requirements, such as 21 CFR 111, for ingredient verification and accurate labeling. Make sure your labels are validated and correct.

  • Informed Decision-Making: Whether you're a QA/QC manager, botanical R&D scientist, or responsible for sourcing, assess the purity of your materials with confidence with the LeafWorks® Adulteration DNA ID Test.

How It Works:

  1. Setup Your Account:Contact us to get started.
  2. Place Your Order:Order through our easy-to-use portal.
  3. Sample Submission: Submit a minimum of 20 grams of your material.
  4. DNA Extraction: We extract DNA from your sample, using cutting-edge techniques that can handle even the most challenging of materials, and prepare it for sequencing.
  5. Sequencing and Analysis: The extracted DNA is processed through our sequencing pipeline, leveraging the LeafWorks® Botanical DNA Database for accurate identification.
  6. Certificate of Analysis (CoA):Receive a detailed Certificate of Analysis indicating whether your sample contains any of the common adulterants listed here (or any special requests as applicable).

Why Choose DNA Testing for Adulteration Detection

The natural products industry needs reliable and invaluable methods in identification to ensure product purity and supply chain transparency. Traditional chemical methods can fail to distinguish between inputs with similar chemical profiles, but DNA cannot be fooled. If the DNA of an adulterant is in your product, we will see it, making DNA testing an essential tool for testing purity. The LeafWorks® Adulteration DNA ID Test provides sensitive detection and definitive results. Protect your brand and ensure your products meet regulatory standards.

Try the LeafWorks way and see how authenticity is in our DNA.

LeafWorks® Adulteration DNA ID Tests

Contact us for a quote

Detect the presence of common adulterants in natural products to ensure product integrity and meet regulatory compliance.

DETAILS

Raw or processed materials used in natural products should contain only the expected ingredients, free from adulteration. Our test detects species commonly used as adulterants or fillers in natural products. Whether you're testing single ingredients or complex blends, our scientifically rigorous process pairs a highly sophisticated and vetted sequencing pipeline with our Botanical DNA Database of literally thousands of curated Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) and Botanical Reference Materials (BRMs) to accurately detect undesirable species. Our adulterant screening provides reliable, species-level identification, ensuring that your ingredients meet the quality and purity standards you need.

FEATURES

Validates that the material is or contains the species you think it is.

Works great in complex blends and not just single ingredients! 

Detects species even at trace levels.

Focuses on the most common adulterants in natural products, but if you have a special request let us know.

APPLICABLE MATRICES

We can test for this species in the following matrices:

  • Raw plant material such as root, flower, seed, leaf, bark 
  • Raw material powders such as root, flower, seed, leaf, bark powder
  • Fruiting body
  • Fruiting body powders
  • Mycelium
  • Mycelium powders
  • Extract powders
  • Premixes
  • Beverage powder mixes
  • Food products
  • Chocolate
  • Capsules (fill)
  • Raw materials-based gummies (sequencing-based method only)
  • Extracts (Available as a feasibility study for your product before available for routine testing)
  • Extract-based Gummies (Available as a feasibility study for your product before available for routine testing)

Don’t see your matrix listed? Reach out — we’re happy to work with you to meet your testing needs.

TURNAROUND TIME

3-5 weeks standard. 

Special requests for specific adulterants not included in the adulterant panel may increase the turnaround time. Please inquire for more details.

SPECIES AVAILABLE FOR TESTING
Common Name(s) Scientific Name
Barley Hordeum vulgare
Buckwheat Fagopyrum esculentum
Coconut Cocos nucifera
Corn (Maize) Zea mays
Finger millet (African finger millet) Eleusine coracana
Foxtail millet (Italian Millet, German Millet) Setaria italica
Millet Millet spp.
Oat Avena sativa
Peanut Arachis hypogaea
Pearl millet Pennisetum glancum
Proso millet (Broomcorn millet, Common millet) Panicum miliaceum
Rice Oryza sativa
Rye Secale cereale
Sorghum Sorghum bicolor
Soybean Glycine max
Sunflower Helianthus annuus
Wheat Triticum aestivum

Can’t find the adulterants you’re looking for? Looking for adulterants specific to a type of species? We have you covered. With an extensive database, we likely have what you need. Please inquire for more details.

Interested in testing botanicals? Please see our Botanical DNA ID Testing service to validate ingredients on your product labels.

OPTIONAL ADD-ONS

Other Ingredient Species ID:

Looking to validate the species identity of your intended ingredients? Identify one or multiple species in single or blended materials with the LeafWorks® Botanical DNA ID Test. This can be easily added onto your order for adulterant screenings.

DON’T SEE YOUR ADULTERANT SCREENING LISTED?

No problem! Our extensive database includes thousands of authenticated Botanical Reference Materials and Certified Reference Materials. If the species you need isn’t listed, contact us, and we'll confirm if an ID test is available for that adulterant.

Comprehensive Adulteration To Meet Your Needs

It’s taken years to build our extensive database of authenticated BRMs and CRMs, which we believe is crucial to provide the most robust species ID DNA testing service possible.

The LeafWorks® Adulteration DNA ID Test identifies common adulterants and fillers that may be present in raw materials or finished products, and can be adapted to include other special requests. Ideal for both single-ingredient materials and complex blends, this service uses a highly sensitive DNA sequencing method to deliver reliable detection of adulterants. In addition to public resources, LeafWorks' Botanical DNA Database includes thousands of carefully curated Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) and authenticated Botanical Reference Materials (BRMs) from expert botanists and mycologists, CRM providers, and our collaborations with herbaria, such as the Missouri Botanical Garden. Our method has been extensively validated to ensure accurate detection of both target and non-target species based on this comprehensive database. 

Why Choose LeafWorks for Adulteration Screening

Unmatched Expertise in Botanical Genetics: The LeafWorks team is led by experts at the forefront of their fields in plant and fungal genomics, state-of-the-art bioinformatics and sequencing-based method development. We specialize in (and love) working with complex genomes and species with intricate evolutionary and life histories.

Taxonomy Meets Industry Insight: Our PhDs have a deep understanding of taxonomy, species biology, and species relationships combined with expertise in genetics and genetic analysis. This unique knowledge, along with our insights into the nuances of natural product sourcing, allows us to identify species and potential adulterants that others may miss.

Species-Specific Precision: Our DNA assays target regions specific to adulterants or non-target species, ensuring that we can detect even the most elusive contaminants.

Extensive Reference Database: Our database contains thousands of authenticated Botanical Reference Materials (BRMs) and Certified Reference Materials (CRMs), carefully curated from trusted sources, and it’s continually expanding to cover more adulterants across natural products.

Rigorous Validation: Our adulteration ID pipeline has been extensively tested to ensure the highest standards of accuracy and reproducibility in adulteration detection.

The DNA Advantage In Adulteration: DNA is stable and reliable for identifying adulterants. Unlike chemical methods, DNA signatures of adulterants cannot be masked by overlapping chemistries, ensuring accurate identification regardless of product form. This is an area where the power of DNA really shines.

Blend-Ready Accuracy: DNA testing offers definitive results even in complex, multi-ingredient products where traditional methods may struggle.

Key Benefits of the LeafWorks® Adulteration DNA ID Test

  • Reliable Identification: Detect common adulterants and fillers in raw materials, finished products, or complex blends, ensuring purity.

  • Extensive Database: Access one of the largest collections of botanical reference materials from certified and authenticated sources, including American Herbal Pharmacopeia and the Missouri Botanical Garden, the fifth largest herbarium in the world.

  • Versatile Testing: We are pros at DNA extraction in a wide range of materials, including those with difficult-to-extract, trace, or degraded DNA, giving us the input extract we need to ensure accurate results for both single ingredients and blends.

  • Regulatory Compliance: Our test helps meet regulatory compliance requirements, such as 21 CFR 111, for ingredient verification and accurate labeling. Make sure your labels are validated and correct.

  • Informed Decision-Making: Whether you're a QA/QC manager, botanical R&D scientist, or responsible for sourcing, assess the purity of your materials with confidence with the LeafWorks® Adulteration DNA ID Test.

How It Works:

  1. Setup Your Account:Contact us to get started.
  2. Place Your Order:Order through our easy-to-use portal.
  3. Sample Submission: Submit a minimum of 20 grams of your material.
  4. DNA Extraction: We extract DNA from your sample, using cutting-edge techniques that can handle even the most challenging of materials, and prepare it for sequencing.
  5. Sequencing and Analysis: The extracted DNA is processed through our sequencing pipeline, leveraging the LeafWorks® Botanical DNA Database for accurate identification.
  6. Certificate of Analysis (CoA):Receive a detailed Certificate of Analysis indicating whether your sample contains any of the common adulterants listed here (or any special requests as applicable).

Why Choose DNA Testing for Adulteration Detection

The natural products industry needs reliable and invaluable methods in identification to ensure product purity and supply chain transparency. Traditional chemical methods can fail to distinguish between inputs with similar chemical profiles, but DNA cannot be fooled. If the DNA of an adulterant is in your product, we will see it, making DNA testing an essential tool for testing purity. The LeafWorks® Adulteration DNA ID Test provides sensitive detection and definitive results. Protect your brand and ensure your products meet regulatory standards.

Try the LeafWorks way and see how authenticity is in our DNA.