Kava Testing
Kava Potency Testing
Turnaround time: 48 hours
Our comprehensive Kava testing panel quantifies major kavalactones and flavokawains using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), providing accurate insight into the chemotype and potency of your kava products.
Compounds Covered:
Kavalactones: (+/-)-Kavain, Dihydrokavain, Methysticin, Dihydromethysticin, Yangonin, Desmethoxyyangonin
Flavokawains: Flavokawain A, B, and C
Why This Matters:
Different kava strains and preparations can vary significantly in their chemotype, influencing psychoactive effects and safety. This panel supports:
Chemotype identification (e.g., balanced vs. sedative profiles)
Verification of active constituents in finished products
Risk assessment related to flavokawain content, which has been associated with hepatotoxicity concerns in some contexts
Instrument Used:
High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)
Kava Potency Testing
Turnaround time: 48 Hours
Our comprehensive Kava testing panel quantifies major kavalactones and flavokawains using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), providing accurate insight into the chemotype and potency of your kava products.
Kavalactones: (+/-)-Kavain, Dihydrokavain, Methysticin, Dihydromethysticin, Yangonin, Desmethoxyyangonin
Flavokawains: Flavokawain A, B, and C
Different kava strains and preparations can vary significantly in their chemotype, influencing psychoactive effects and safety. This panel supports:
Chemotype identification (e.g., balanced vs. sedative profiles)
Verification of active constituents in finished products
Risk assessment related to flavokawain content, which has been associated with hepatotoxicity concerns in some contexts
High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)
Kava Residual Solvents Testing
Turnaround time: 48 hours
Altitude Consulting uses GC/MS Headspace to test for 19 common solvents used for extraction and cleaning of Kava products. GC/MS technology gives us the ability to identify unknown hits. Testing for solvents can be useful for ensuring that solvents used for extractions have been fully removed before proceeding in the formulation process.
Compounds Covered:
- 2-methylbutane
- Acetone
- Acetonitrile
- Benzene
- Butane
- Ethanol
- Ethylbenzene
- Isobutane
- Isopropanol
- M+P xylene
- Methanol
- N-Heptane
- N-hexane
- N-pentane
- O-xylene
- Propane
- Tetrahydrofuran
- Toluene
Instrument Used:
Gas Chromatography—Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) Headspace
Kava Residual Solvents Testing
Turnaround time: 48 Hours
Altitude Consulting uses GC/MS Headspace to test for 19 common solvents used for extraction and cleaning in the Kava industry. GC/MS technology gives us the ability to identify unknown hits. Testing for solvents can be useful for ensuring that solvents used for extractions have been fully removed before proceeding in the formulation process.
- 2-methylbutane
- Acetone
- Acetonitrile
- Benzene
- Butane
- Ethanol
- Ethylbenzene
- Isobutane
- Isopropanol
- M+P xylene
- Methanol
- N-Heptane
- N-hexane
- N-pentane
- O-xylene
- Propane
- Tetrahydrofuran
- Toluene
Gas Chromatography—Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) Headspace
Heavy Metals Testing
Turnaround time: 1-2 Weeks
Heavy metals tend to be toxic to humans at even very low concentrations. For now, there isn’t state mandated testing required on Kava products. Nevertheless, ensuring the absence of heavy metals is a safe choice on behalf of those who use your products.
Compounds Covered:
- Arsenic (Ar)
- Cadmium (Cd)
- Lead (Pb)
- Mercury (Hg)
Instrument Used:
Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS)
Heavy Metals Testing
Turnaround time: 1-2 Weeks
Heavy metals tend to be toxic to humans at even very low concentrations. For now, there isn’t state mandated testing required on Kava products. Nevertheless, ensuring the absence of heavy metals is a safe choice on behalf of those who use your products.
- Arsenic (Ar)
- Cadmium (Cd)
- Lead (Pb)
- Mercury (Hg)
Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS)
Pesticides Testing
Turnaround time: 1-2 Weeks
Pesticides are commonly used in agriculture to protect crops from insects and disease—but what helps plants thrive can be harmful to people. While kava (Piper methysticum) isn’t currently subject to mandatory pesticide testing in most markets, the use of agricultural chemicals in its cultivation is not uncommon. That’s why we’ve partnered with AB Sciex to develop a robust method capable of detecting over 50 pesticide residues. Whether you’re sourcing fresh root or finished extract, our testing ensures your kava products are clean, compliant, and safe for consumption.
Instrument Used:
Gas Chromatography—Mass Spectrometry Triple Quadrupole (GC-MS-MS)
Compounds Covered:
- Abamectin
- Acephate
- Acequinocyl
- Acetamiprid
- Azoxystrobin
- Bifenazate
- Bifenthrin
- Boscalid
- Carbofuran
- Chlorantraniliprole
- Chlorpyrifos
- Chlorfenapyr
- Clofentezine
- Cyfluthrin
- Cypermethrin (technical)
- Daminozide
- Diazinon
- Dichlorvos
- Dimethoate
- Ethoprophos
- Etofenprox
- Etoxazole
- Fenoxycarb
- Fenpyroximate
- Fipronil
- Flonicamid
- Fludioxonil
- Hexythiazox
- Imazalil
- Imidacloprid
- Kresoxim-methyl
- Malathion
- Metalaxyl
- Methiocarb
- Methomyl
- MGK 264
- Myclobutanil
- Naled
- Oxamyl
- Paclobutrazol
- Parathion-methyl
- Permethrin
- Phosmet
- Piperonyl butoxide
- Prallethrin
- Propiconazole
- Propoxur
- Pyrethrins
- Pyridaben
- Spinosad
- Spiromesifen
- Spirotetramat
- Spiroxamine
- Tebuconazole
- Thiacloprid
- Thiamethoxam
- Trifloxystrobin
Minimum sample sizes:
Biomass: 1g
All other samples: 0.5g
Pesticides Testing
Turnaround time: 1-2 Weeks
Pesticides are commonly used in agriculture to protect crops from insects and disease—but what helps plants thrive can be harmful to people. While kava (Piper methysticum) isn’t currently subject to mandatory pesticide testing in most markets, the use of agricultural chemicals in its cultivation is not uncommon. That’s why we’ve partnered with AB Sciex to develop a robust method capable of detecting over 50 pesticide residues. Whether you’re sourcing fresh root or finished extract, our testing ensures your kava products are clean, compliant, and safe for consumption.
- Abamectin
- Acephate
- Acequinocyl
- Acetamiprid
- Azoxystrobin
- Bifenazate
- Bifenthrin
- Boscalid
- Carbofuran
- Chlorantraniliprole
- Chlorpyrifos
- Chlorfenapyr
- Clofentezine
- Cyfluthrin
- Cypermethrin (technical)
- Daminozide
- Diazinon
- Dichlorvos
- Dimethoate
- Ethoprophos
- Etofenprox
- Etoxazole
- Fenoxycarb
- Fenpyroximate
- Fipronil
- Flonicamid
- Fludioxonil
- Hexythiazox
- Imazalil
- Imidacloprid
- Kresoxim-methyl
- Malathion
- Metalaxyl
- Methiocarb
- Methomyl
- MGK 264
- Myclobutanil
- Naled
- Oxamyl
- Paclobutrazol
- Parathion-methyl
- Permethrin
- Phosmet
- Piperonyl butoxide
- Prallethrin
- Propiconazole
- Propoxur
- Pyrethrins
- Pyridaben
- Spinosad
- Spiromesifen
- Spirotetramat
- Spiroxamine
- Tebuconazole
- Thiacloprid
- Thiamethoxam
- Trifloxystrobin
Gas Chromatography—Mass Spectrometry Triple Quadrupole (GC-MS-MS)
Minimum sample sizes:
Biomass: 1g
All other samples: 0.5g
Microbials Testing
Turnaround time: 1-2 Weeks
As with growing any plant, fungus and mold can quickly become a problem. That’s why verifying that there is no yeast or mold before processing helps to guarantee that it will not begin to flourish during processing to ensure that products are safe for consumption.
Compounds Covered:
- Yeast
- Mold
Instrument Used:
Thermal Cycler—Fluorometer used for Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR)
Microbials Testing
Turnaround time: 1-2 Weeks
As with growing any plant, fungus and mold can quickly become a problem. That’s why verifying that there is no yeast or mold before processing helps to guarantee that it will not begin to flourish during processing to ensure that products are safe for consumption.
- Yeast
- Mold
Thermal Cycler—Fluorometer used for Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR)
Common questions
Since adding Kava to our testing methods, we have not yet undergone our annual ISO reaccreditation. Nevertheless, the methods and validation of them still adhere to the rigorous standards that our other accredited tests do. We plan to add this method to our ISO scope during our next audit.
The point of testing Kava is to help brands deliver products that are both safe and trusted. By verifying kavalactone content and screening for harmful contaminants like pesticides or mold, testing ensures that your kava meets high standards for quality and consistency. It not only protects your customers—it sets your product apart in a crowded market. Tested kava shows you’re committed to transparency and safety, giving consumers a reason to choose your brand over the competition.
We use a variety of instrumentation for Kava testing, depending on the test. These include High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) Headspace, GC-MS Triple Quadrupole, Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MC).
All testing has a small margin of error to account for different factors such as standards, instrumentation, human error, etc. The margin of error that we work within is ±5% of reported value, for mesembrine. Certificates of Analysis for every standard used are available upon request, just give us a shout.
They can, but because results are based on weight of sample, the extra water weight in the sample will make the results be artificially lower than those of a dry sample. Alternatively, we are happy to dry your sample in our lab! We use methods that are nondestructive to the compounds of interest.