Products that are 100% sourced from nature (“natural products”) are often more expensive than their synthetic counterparts. As a result, some companies may be inclined to mislabel artificial alternatives that are usually petroleum-derived as natural products. Through carbon-14 analysis, manufacturers and raw material suppliers, distributors, consumers and regulatory bodies can:
Examples of products the lab accepts for Carbon-14 analysis include cosmetics, curcumin, essential oils, flavors, and food & dietary supplements.
There are several test methods that quality control and quality assurance departments use to detect adulteration. However, only carbon-14 analysis can identify if there are petrochemical-derived synthetic adulterants in a product claiming to be 100% naturally sourced.
Products that are 100% biobased are 100% sourced from plants, animals or microbiological materials. Carbon-14 analysis measures the exact percentage of carbon in a material that comes from biomass.
Beta Analytic currently reports results for natural products source testing according to international standards ASTM D6866 and ISO 16620-2, both of which are based on carbon-14 analysis.
Further Reading:
Identifying Fraudulent Natural Products: A Perspective on the Application of Carbon-14 Analysis – Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry’s Advances in Bioflavor Research special issue
Authentication of Peppermint Oil – Perfumer & Flavorist
Curcumin and Adulteration in the Natural Products Industry – Nutraceuticals Now
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The lab routinely delivers results in only 7 business days or less. A priority service is available for results required in 4 business days or less. Results can be accessed online 24/7 including QA reports and sample photos.
The lab was one of the key developers of the first standard to determine the biobased content of products using the radiocarbon method (ASTM D6866) and has been technical adviser to all major biobased standardization initiatives worldwide including ISO 16620-2.
Beta Analytic has unparalleled expertise with complex biobased samples. The lab provides client support in several languages, including Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish.
Beta Analytic is a natural-level radiocarbon lab and does not accept pharmaceutical samples containing tracer levels of Carbon-14 to eliminate the risk of cross-contamination.
For reliable, accurate and fast natural product source testing, always choose Beta Analytic.
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