Sun-Dried and Overhyped: The Dirty Laundry of Shilajit Marketing

Sun-drying: perfect for your laundry. Less ideal for preserving bioactives in Shilajit

If you’ve spent more than five minutes on the supplement side of the internet, you’ve probably come across a glowing claim that goes something like this: "Our Shilajit is sun-dried over 60 magical days to harness the healing biophoton energy of the Himalayas." Ah yes — nothing says scientific rigour like biophotons.

Let’s cut through the incense smoke and Himalayan fairy dust, shall we?

The Myth of the Sun-Dried Superiority

Sun-dried Shilajit is having a moment, marketed as a more “natural,” “traditional,” and supposedly more potent form of this already-mystical resin. The sales pitch usually goes something like this:

• It's sun-dried, not processed with heat or chemicals (implying every other method is some industrial horror show).
  
• It retains more minerals and fulvic acid.
  
• It avoids the dreaded “smoky” flavour of fire-dried Shilajit.
  
• It harnesses, and we quote, “biophoton energy from the sun.”
  

We’ll admit — it’s a romantic picture. Ancient techniques, gentle Himalayan sun, a process lovingly overseen by wise old alchemists. Lovely imagery. Shame about the science.

Fulvic Acid Fiction

Many of these brands claim their sun-dried Shilajit contains 80%+ fulvic acid. Let’s stop right there. Fulvic acid is notoriously difficult to quantify accurately — there’s no universal standard method unless you're using the ISO 19822:2018 method — “The Determination of Humic Acids (HA) and Acidic Hydrophobic Fulvic Acids (HFA)”. Without that, figures can vary wildly depending on the test used. So, when a product boasts “86% fulvic acid,” what they really mean is, “We ran a test we liked and now we’re running with it.”

What these brands don’t realise is — Prolonged exposure to UV light during sun drying can actually degrade fulvic acid. One study showed “a 32% loss of organic carbon in fulvic solutions after just 12 days in sunlight (Wiley Online Library)" Some of these Shilajits are sitting outside for 60+ days. That’s not enhancement — that’s oxidation on a yoga mat.

Researchers have also found that using lower temperature drying for shorter periods better preserves bioactive compounds than conventional long, hot drying (MDPI: Effect of Different Drying Methods on the Retention of Bioactive Compounds in Food). In short, the “sun = maximal potency” claim is questionable — extended sun exposure may actually reduce certain nutrients or alter chemical composition, rather than preserving “100% potency.”

For the record, yes — adulterated Shilajit may contain high fulvic acid levels (80%+), but a natural, unadulterated product won't typically contain much more than 60% at most. If a brand claims otherwise, we’d love to see the ISO 19822 report to back it up.

The Hygiene Dilemma: Nature Isn’t a Cleanroom

Sun-drying involves leaving your product — a sticky, nutrient-rich resin — in the open air. For weeks. Possibly months. In a place with dust, wind, birds, bugs, and let’s be honest, the occasional goat.

Scientific reviews of sun-dried foods routinely show higher bacterial and fungal loads compared to controlled drying environments. Dates dried by open sun had significantly increased microbial contamination (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0023643821017850). Likewise, vegetables dried this way frequently harbour mould and spore-forming bacteria (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33824622/).

You want Shilajit, not spore salad.

And no, sunlight isn’t sterilising anything. The temperatures reached in sun-drying simply aren’t consistent or high enough to kill microbes. One study noted that traditional sun and oven drying had limited efficacy in microbial control (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958166923000228), necessitating additional safety measures. Responsible manufacturers must do further purification — which kind of undermines the whole “minimal processing” halo.

Weather Dependency: Praying to the Sun Gods

Sun-drying takes 30 to 60+ days, depending on the weather — which, spoiler alert, isn’t always perfect. In places like Gilgit, temperatures range from -2°C in winter to 36°C in summer, with daylight hours swinging wildly across the year. Drying in the sun is highly weather-dependent (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024070567).

If the weather turns poor — cloudy, humid, or rainy — the drying stalls or even reverses (the resin can reabsorb moisture). An unexpected rain shower can rewet a partially dried batch, promoting mould growth or forcing the process to restart. Even daily temperature swings from warm sun to cool night can affect the consistency and chemical profile of the resin.

A report on solar drying notes that while sun drying is cheap, “it exposes the [product] to environmental contaminants, uneven drying, and potential rewetting from unexpected rain” (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/273232709_Effects_of_Different_Solar_Drying_Methods_on_Drying_Time_and_Rice_Grain_Quality). This is clearly problematic for Shilajit production: uneven drying can mean some portions remain damp and prone to spoilage, while others over-harden. And let’s not forget — the longer it’s sitting outside, the longer it’s exposed to everything you don’t want in your resin. That’s not artisanal; that’s just exposed.

The Scalability Problem

From a manufacturing standpoint, the slow speed is a major limitation on scalability and consistency. It ties up large quantities of product for months and makes production scheduling dependent on the season. If demand surges or a batch is delayed by weather, you simply cannot speed up the sun.

Closely related to drying time is the issue of scalability. Sun-drying might work perfectly well for a cottage industry or small-scale, local production — especially for indigenous communities in the Himalayas who have used this technique for generations. In such cases, small amounts of Shilajit can be sun-dried seasonally and consumed within the community or traded in nearby markets. This traditional method aligns with the slow pace and rhythms of local life, where output is low, and quality control is managed through experience rather than industrial precision.

But scaling that same process to meet international demand? That’s where things fall apart. Traditional sun drying is indeed cost-effective in that it uses no fuel, but once you attempt to scale up, it becomes wildly impractical. As volume grows, the process becomes increasingly labor-intensive and space-hungry — requiring vast, clean, secure areas exposed to consistent sunlight for weeks, if not months. That’s not just inefficient; it’s a logistical nightmare.

According to a study in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, traditional sun drying “is highly labor intensive, time consuming, and requires a large area,” all of which are significant constraints when trying to mass-produce a high-quality product for export (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1364032112000081). The seasonal unpredictability of weather in mountainous regions further compounds the issue, making reliable, large-scale sun-drying virtually impossible. Put simply: sun-drying may work for a few kilos a year — but not for a Western market demanding tons.

In short, what works for indigenous use doesn’t translate to global scale. If your Shilajit is showing up on international shelves with a "sun-dried" label, you might want to ask: whose sun, exactly, and how many jars did it tan?

To dry larger batches of Shilajit, one would need vast, hygienic outdoor areas with uninterrupted sunlight and a small army of workers to tend, stir, and protect the material. Any contamination or unexpected weather could spoil a batch that’s already taken weeks — or months — to process, resulting in a significant financial hit. And then there’s batch consistency: did one batch dry under 35°C and 14 hours of sun, while the next dried under clouds and drizzle? You’ll taste the difference — not in a good way.

All these factors make pure sun-drying a risky, slow, and deeply inefficient method for modern, high-quality Shilajit production.

The Real Science: Controlled Low-Temp Drying

Now for the grown-up bit. Modern Shilajit producers use low-temperature dehydration, vacuum drying, or freeze-drying to preserve bioactive compounds like fulvic and humic acid. These methods keep temps under 50°C, prevent UV degradation, and — crucially — protect against contamination.

Vacuum drying, for instance, removes moisture at low temps under reduced pressure, preserving potency without inviting fungi to the party. These processes are consistent, efficient, and scalable — everything sun-drying isn’t.

A Compromise? Sun + Low-Temp

Some producers use a hybrid approach: initial moisture removal via gentle sun-drying, followed by a final low-temp dehydration step. This offers a nod to tradition while still protecting potency and purity. It’s slower than full-tech methods, but still far more viable — and scientifically sound — than “leave it outside and hope for the best.”

Final Word: Beware the Buzzwords

“Sun-dried” Shilajit isn’t a scandal — but it is largely a marketing gimmick. It appeals to the “natural = better” fallacy, dressed up with pseudoscience and fuzzy claims.

At best, it’s slow, expensive, and unpredictable. At worst, it risks product integrity. We love tradition — but not at the cost of efficacy, hygiene, and actual science.

So the next time you see a jar promising “sun-infused bioenergy,” remember: your Shilajit deserves more than a tan.

Choose well. Choose clean. Choose science.