Testing & Quality

Last updated: September 2026

At One Life Foods, quality starts before a product ever reaches the shelf.

We work with selected suppliers, manufacturers and production partners who provide product specifications, certificates of analysis, assay reports and other technical documentation relevant to the ingredients and products they supply.

We review that information as part of our product approval and ongoing quality process. Where appropriate, we also commission independent testing ourselves.

Our Shilajit products are independently tested by laboratories we commission directly.

For our functional mushroom range, we currently publish the supplier-issued analytical documentation supporting the extracts used in our Lion’s Mane, Reishi, Chaga and Cordyceps CS-4 products, while we work towards adding independent finished-product testing commissioned by One Life Foods.

Our approach is simple:

Understand what the ingredient is. Understand how it was made. Look at the available evidence. And be clear about what that evidence does and doesn’t prove.

Our Quality Approach

We believe supplement quality should be built on more than a badge, a buzzword or one impressive-looking number.

Our approach includes:

• responsible sourcing;
• supplier due diligence;
• product and ingredient specifications;
• certificates of analysis and supporting technical documentation;
• appropriate manufacturing standards;
• sensible formulation;
• label transparency;
• product-specific analytical testing;
• realistic claims;
• traceability where relevant;
• and ongoing supplier review.

Different products need different forms of verification.

A purified mineral-rich substance such as Shilajit raises different quality questions from a mushroom extract. A mushroom fruiting-body extract raises different questions from a cultured Cordyceps mycelium preparation.

So we don’t believe in applying one simplistic testing checklist to everything we sell.

We believe the testing should make sense for the product.

Supplier Documentation

Our suppliers and manufacturing partners provide quality documentation relevant to the ingredients and products they supply.

Depending on the product, this may include:

• certificates of analysis;
• assay reports;
• product specifications;
• ingredient specifications;
• identity documentation;
• microbiological testing;
• heavy-metal testing;
• compositional analysis;
• allergen declarations;
• manufacturing information;
• and quality-system documentation.

The exact documentation varies according to the ingredient, supplier, production method and stage of manufacture.

A supplier-issued Certificate of Analysis can be extremely useful.

But we don’t treat the words “COA available” as proof of everything.

We want to know:

What was actually tested?

Which material or batch did the test relate to?

Which analytical method was used?

Was the raw ingredient tested, or the finished product?

Was the result measured, or is it simply a specification?

Those distinctions matter.

For a deeper explanation, read our guide:

How to Read a Mushroom Certificate of Analysis

Why Some Supplier Information Is Redacted

We understand why customers want to see the paperwork behind a product.

We do too.

But supplier documents can contain commercially sensitive information such as:

• supplier identities;
• contact information;
• internal product codes;
• registration details;
• confidential batch or supply-chain references;
• and proprietary manufacturing information.

For that reason, documents may be redacted before we publish them.

Redaction should not mean changing the analytical evidence.

Where we publish redacted mushroom documents, we leave the reported analytical results, testing methods, species information, specifications and measured values visible while removing information that could identify confidential supply-chain partners.

This allows us to show the evidence behind a product without unnecessarily disclosing commercially sensitive supplier information.

You can see the current mushroom documents here:

View our Mushroom Testing & Analytical Documents

Independent Testing

Independent testing is particularly valuable where a product has significant natural variability, a complicated supply chain or a greater need for verification beyond supplier paperwork.

At present, One Life Foods commissions independent testing for our Shilajit range.

For our functional mushrooms, the current analytical evidence is primarily supplier-issued.

That doesn’t make it meaningless.

But it does mean we need to be precise about what it represents.

Our next step is to add independent finished-product mushroom testing commissioned by One Life Foods, so we can compare our own results with the supplier documentation already held.

When that programme is in place, we intend to publish those results too.

Shilajit Testing

Shilajit can vary considerably depending on its geographic origin, purification method, processing and batch.

It is also a category where adulteration, contamination and exaggerated composition claims can be a concern.

For that reason, we place particular importance on independent analytical testing for our Shilajit products.

Our Shilajit testing programme considers areas including:

• origin and sourcing;
• purification;
• humic and fulvic acid content;
• mineral and trace-element profile;
• heavy metals;
• solvent residues;
• polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs);
• microbiology;
• and overall composition.

Our Shilajit origins are independently tested by EkotechLAB Marek Klein S.K.A. in Gdansk, Poland.

Their heavy-metal testing carries PCA accreditation AB 1755 under the ILAC-MRA international mutual recognition framework.

For humic substance analysis, we use ISO 19822:2018, a method aligned with the analytical approach used by the International Humic Substances Society, rather than relying on simple titration-based methods that can produce very different fulvic-acid figures.

We publish the results for the origins we test alongside explanations of the methods used and what the figures actually mean.

View our complete Shilajit lab results and testing methodology

We believe Shilajit should be sold with clear information and sensible interpretation of the data, not vague origin stories or inflated headline numbers.

Mushroom Product Testing

Functional mushrooms are another category where headline claims can hide a surprising amount of complexity.

Two products carrying the same mushroom name can differ significantly in:

• species;
• fungal material used;
• cultivation method;
• extraction method;
• extraction ratio;
• beta-glucan or polysaccharide content;
• characteristic compounds;
• processing carriers;
• microbiological profile;
• heavy-metal results;
• and the quality of the documentation behind them.

That’s why we don’t judge mushroom quality by one number.

Not the extraction ratio.

Not the beta-glucan percentage.

Not the phrase “fruiting body”.

Not the word “organic”.

Each can tell us something.

None tells us everything.

What testing do we currently have for our mushrooms?

For our current Lion’s Mane, Reishi, Chaga and Cordyceps CS-4 range, we hold supplier-issued analytical documentation relating to the mushroom extracts used in the products.

Depending on the mushroom, this includes information such as:

• NMR identity characterisation;
• LC-MS compound profiling;
• beta-glucan or polysaccharide analysis;
• microbiological testing;
• heavy-metal analysis;
• moisture and ash;
• extraction information;
• fungal material identification;
• and compositional specifications.

But there is an important distinction.

Much of this analytical work relates to the raw mushroom extract ingredient before encapsulation, rather than to the finished One Life capsule itself.

Raw extract testing and finished-product testing are not the same thing

For the current mushroom ingredients, LC-MS compound profiling is carried out on each raw extract batch.

NMR identity testing is used periodically rather than on every batch.

The raw-material manufacturer also provides batch-level compositional and contaminant testing, including relevant carbohydrate assays, microbiology and heavy metals.

These results provide useful information about the ingredient used to make the capsules.

But we don’t describe them as though every finished One Life capsule batch has independently undergone NMR, LC-MS and every other analytical method listed in the documentation.

That would overstate what was actually tested.

Instead, we try to show:

what was tested,

when it was tested,

what material was analysed,

and:

what the result actually tells us.

You can see the current documentation and our explanation of it here:

View our Mushroom Testing & Analytical Documents

What comes next?

Our next step is independent finished-product mushroom testing commissioned directly by One Life Foods.

That will provide another layer of verification alongside the supplier documentation we already hold.

When those results become available, we intend to publish them alongside the existing evidence and explain where the results agree, where they differ and what we think they actually mean.

Ingredient Sourcing

We aim to choose ingredients that make sense for the product rather than selecting them simply because a particular phrase is fashionable.

Depending on the ingredient, we may consider:

• species or botanical identity;
• geographic origin;
• supplier reputation;
• fungal material or plant part used;
• cultivation or harvesting method;
• extraction process;
• compositional specification;
• purity information;
• allergen information;
• contaminant testing;
• manufacturing method;
• and suitability for the intended product.

Sometimes that means choosing a fruiting body.

Sometimes it means choosing cultured mycelium.

Sometimes it means choosing a whole dried traditional material rather than an extract.

The right answer depends on the ingredient.

Where those distinctions matter, we aim to explain them.

Manufacturing Standards

Our products are made and packed by selected manufacturing partners who are expected to operate appropriate food-safety and supplement-quality systems.

Depending on the product and manufacturer, these may include systems and standards such as:

• GMP;
• HACCP;
• ISO-based quality systems;
• food-safety controls;
• traceability procedures;
• documented specifications;
• and batch-release processes.

The exact standards and documentation can vary depending on the product, manufacturing site and supply chain.

We therefore prefer to describe the standards that actually apply rather than attaching one generic manufacturing claim to every product we sell.

Label Transparency

We want customers to understand what they are buying.

Where possible, we avoid unnecessary proprietary blends and vague ingredient descriptions.

We aim to provide straightforward information about:

• ingredient quantities;
• serving size;
• fungal material or plant part where relevant;
• extraction method where useful;
• processing carriers or excipients where relevant;
• directions for use;
• and appropriate warnings.

If a product contains a processing carrier, we don’t want to describe it in a way that implies the carrier isn’t there.

If a mushroom uses cultured mycelium rather than fruiting body, we say so.

If analytical testing relates to the raw extract rather than the finished capsule, we try to make that distinction clear too.

Specific information is more useful than marketing shorthand.

Always read the product label before use, as packaging, formulations, directions and warnings may occasionally change.

What We Don’t Think Quality Means

Quality isn’t automatically established by:

“third-party tested”

“premium”

“high strength”

“15:1”

“30% beta-glucans”

“fruiting body only”

or:

“Certificate of Analysis available”.

Every one of those phrases may contain useful information.

But every one also needs context.

The better questions are:

What was actually measured?

How was it measured?

What material was tested?

Does the documentation relate to the current ingredient or batch?

And what important questions remain unanswered?

That is the approach we try to apply across the range.

No Miracle Claims

We don’t believe in miracle promises.

Food supplements can form part of a healthy routine, but they are not substitutes for a varied and balanced diet, appropriate medical care, good sleep, hydration, exercise or recovery.

We also don’t think interesting research automatically justifies turning a study result into a product promise.

Where we discuss research, we aim to distinguish between:

what researchers investigated

and:

what can legitimately be claimed about the product being sold.

Our goal is to offer well-considered products with useful information rather than exaggerated claims.

Product Safety

Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.

Do not exceed the stated recommended daily intake.

Keep products out of the sight and reach of children.

Always check the product-specific directions and warnings before use.

If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication, under medical supervision, have a medical condition, have allergies, or are unsure whether a product is suitable for you, speak to a doctor, pharmacist or suitably qualified healthcare professional before use.

Different ingredients may also have their own specific cautions, which we provide on the relevant product pages where appropriate.

Questions About Quality

If you have a question about an ingredient, product, Certificate of Analysis, analytical result or quality standard, please contact us.

Email: info@onelifefoods.co.uk

If we have the information, we’ll share it.

If we don’t know the answer, we’d rather say that and investigate than pretend a certificate answers a question it doesn’t.