THE SHORT ANSWER
A useful contaminant report names what the laboratory looked for, gives the result with its unit and identifies the tested sample. A “natural” claim or lab-tested badge cannot tell you the amount of a substance in the product.
Read each panel on its own terms. Metals, microbes and mould toxins require different measurements.
In this guide5 sections
01
Recognise the substances in a metals panel
Common entries include:
- Pb: lead.
- Cd: cadmium.
- Hg: mercury.
- As: arsenic.
Arsenic is a metalloid, though laboratories commonly include it in a metals panel.
The FDA warning discussed in this guide concerns heavy-metal poisoning linked to certain unapproved Ayurvedic products. It describes harms including stomach problems, kidney injury and nervous-system symptoms. It does not establish that every shilajit product contains unsafe levels.
That distinction matters. So does the actual product report.
Find the requirement behind a pass
Interpret a metals result using the product category, named substance, applicable requirement and, where relevant, chemical form. A threshold for a different food category may not apply.
A laboratory's reporting limit is not automatically a legal or safety limit. Find the specification used for the pass decision and read the notes explaining it. The lab-number guide covers units, less-than signs and reporting boundaries.
Neither mountain origin nor colour or taste can replace those measurements.
02
Understand what a microbiology count measures
Some tests count groups of organisms that grow under stated conditions. Others look for a named organism in a specified portion.
CFU means colony-forming units. CFU/g expresses the culture-test result relative to a gram of sample. It does not count every microorganism present; the method's growth conditions shape what the test counts.
Read the portion as well as the result
These rows illustrate notation. They are not acceptable limits for shilajit.
| Illustrative result | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Aerobic count: 100 CFU/g | A count equivalent to 100 colony-forming units per gram under the method's conditions |
| Yeasts and moulds: <10 CFU/g | Reported below 10, not measured as zero |
| Salmonella: not detected in 25 g | No detection of that organism in the tested 25 g portion |
Do not drop the tested quantity from a detection result. “Not detected in 25 g” carries information that “not detected” alone leaves out.
03
Mould counts and mould toxins are separate
Certain moulds produce substances called mycotoxins. Counting organisms that grow in a culture test does not measure those substances.
A low mould count therefore cannot rule out mould toxins. A claim about a toxin needs a test that addresses that toxin.
The same separation applies across the report: a metals panel cannot fill missing microbiological rows, and a chemical measurement cannot stand in for a count of organisms.
04
Judge the result in the right food context
A microbiological pass depends on the food, organism, method and requirement used. UKHSA's ready-to-eat food criteria illustrate the need for context, but they should not be copied as a universal shilajit specification.
Check the actual requirement on the report. Then establish whether the sample represents the material you have.
Raw ingredients and finished blends can differ. Sampling must also support the link between the small tested portion and the wider batch. Use the report-reading workflow and batch-record checks to resolve those connections.
05
An earlier pass does not cover every later event
A report describes a sample at a particular time. It does not extend shelf life or account for contamination introduced after opening.
Do not use a historic pass to dismiss a damaged closure, unexpected contents or a storage problem. Assess the current condition and follow the storage instructions.
If you are concerned after consuming a product, stop using it and seek medical advice. Bring the label and report if available. Symptoms alone cannot identify a responsible contaminant; the safety guide covers the response to illness and questions about individual suitability.
THE REFERENCES
Go to the source.
- FDA: Heavy metal poisoning associated with certain unapproved Ayurvedic productsAccessed 2026-10-04
- Eurachem: Measurement uncertainty arising from samplingAccessed 2026-10-04
- Eurachem: The Fitness for Purpose of Analytical Methods, third editionAccessed 2026-10-04
- UKHSA: Guidelines for assessing the microbiological safety of ready-to-eat foods (2024)Accessed 2026-10-04
- FDA: Bacteriological Analytical Manual, Chapter 3 — Aerobic Plate CountAccessed 2026-10-04
- FDA: MycotoxinsAccessed 2026-10-04