Every batch we sell has a certificate of analysis (COA) with the same batch number that is printed on the bag. This page explains what the certificate reports, how the numbers are produced and where to download the PDFs.
What is on a batch certificate of analysis?
Each COA lists the batch number, format, origin, harvest date range and drying run. It reports identity (morphology plus ITS sequence), moisture by loss on drying, a heavy-metal screen for lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury, and a microbial screen for dried and powder lots. Photographs of the lot are kept on file.
| Test | Method | Applies to | Release criterion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identity | Macro- and micro-morphology, ITS rDNA sequence compared with reference material | All batches | Consistent with L. asiatica |
| Moisture | Loss on drying, 105 °C to constant weight | Fresh-Dried, powder | < 8% |
| Heavy metals | Pb, Cd, As, Hg by ICP-MS (Hg by direct mercury analysis) | All batches | Reported per batch |
| Microbial screen | Total aerobic count, yeasts and moulds | Fresh-Dried, powder | Reported per batch |
| Particle size | Sieve, 60 mesh (250 µm) | Powder | ≥ 95% passing |
| Foreign matter | Visual inspection | All batches | No soil, insects or other species |
Where can I download the COA for my batch?
Published certificates are listed in the table below, newest harvest first. Your batch number is on the bag label and in your shipping email. If a batch shows “Pending”, testing is still in progress and the lot is not yet on sale. Older certificates are available on request.
Batch certificates are published here as each lot clears testing.
Why is moisture held below 8%?
Below about 8–10% moisture, dried fungal tissue has a water activity low enough to stop mould growth and slow enzymatic browning. It also makes dry-weight calculations straightforward. A lot that dries unevenly is re-dried before batching rather than blended with drier material to bring the average down.
Why screen for heavy metals?
Wild boletes can concentrate elements from soil. Studies of Yunnan boletes have measured mercury, cadmium and arsenic at levels that vary widely between sites. For analytical work this matters twice: as a contaminant to report, and as a matrix effect in some assays. Each COA gives the measured values.
We do not set our own safety limits for these elements because the material is not sold for consumption. The values are reported so you can decide whether a batch fits your method.
Can I get a retention sample or a voucher specimen?
We keep a dried retention sample of every batch, so questions about a lot can be checked against the same material later. If you need a voucher specimen from your batch for deposit in a herbarium, ask before ordering. Whole fruiting bodies have to be set aside before a lot is sliced or milled.
What does “identity by ITS” mean in practice?
A small piece of tissue from the lot is sequenced at the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of nuclear ribosomal DNA, the standard barcode for fungi. The sequence is compared with reference sequences for Lanmaoa species. A match, together with the morphology, supports the identification printed on the certificate.