A certificate of analysis for spice powder should identify the exact lot, state who tested it and by which method, and report each result against your agreed specification. It usually covers moisture, ash, particle size, microbiology and mycotoxins, and for many markets also pesticide residues and ethylene oxide.
Which tests you need depends on the spice, your market and your customer. The list below is a typical starting point, not a legal minimum.
Identification details
- Product name, grade and whether it is steam sterilised.
- Lot or batch number matching the marks on the bags.
- Production date and best-before date.
- Who drew the sample, when, and from which quantity.
- Lab name, accreditation and report number.
- Test dates and a signature from an authorised person.
Physical and chemical tests
- Moisture.
- Total ash and acid-insoluble ash. Acid-insoluble ash mainly reflects sand and soil.
- Particle size or mesh, as agreed.
- Volatile oil, for aromatic spices such as cumin, coriander and blends.
- Colour value (ASTA) for chilli powder, and curcumin for turmeric powder.
- Adulteration checks where relevant, such as starch, synthetic colours including Sudan dyes in chilli, and lead chromate in turmeric.
Safety tests
These are the results that decide whether a shipment is accepted at the border. Limits depend on your market, so write your own into the specification.
- Microbiology: total plate count, yeast and mould, coliforms, E. coli and Salmonella, with Salmonella reported as absent or present in a stated sample weight. See standard microbiological tests for spices.
- Mycotoxins: aflatoxin B1, total aflatoxins and ochratoxin A.
- Pesticide residues by multi-residue analysis, checked against your market's MRLs.
- Ethylene oxide and 2-chloroethanol, with the limit of quantification stated. See how ETO is tested.
- Heavy metals such as lead and cadmium, where your market or customer sets limits.
Reading it critically
- Check whether the COA comes from the supplier's own lab or an independent one. Both have a place, but they are not the same evidence.
- Look for actual results with units and methods. "Complies" with no number is weak evidence.
- Check that the lot number and dates match your shipment, and that the test date falls after production.
- Ask for the original lab report behind any supplier COA, as explained in reading a lab certificate.
- Compare each result with your specification limit, not only with the lab's own reference. A result can be legal in India and still fail your contract.
- Keep every COA with the retained sample of the same lot, in case of a later claim.
How we help
We draw sealed samples from your lot, have them tested at an NABL-accredited lab and send you the original report alongside the supplier's COA. To set up a testing plan for your powders, ask for a free sourcing review.