Quick Facts
- Every product sold by Organic Mandya is tested by accredited third-party laboratories — not by our own in-house team
- We test for pesticide residues, heavy metals, adulterants, and microbiological safety — the four critical food safety categories
- Lab reports are published publicly at trust.organicmandya.com — we do not selectively publish only good results
- Testing frequency: every new lot of every product is independently tested before release for sale
- We use NABL-accredited and FSSAI-approved laboratories — the same labs that food regulators use for enforcement testing
- The reason for external labs: internal testing by the seller creates a conflict of interest. External, accredited labs are accountable to regulators, not to us
Why We Test
The Indian food supply has a significant adulteration problem — documented by FSSAI data, independent studies (CSE honey investigation, 2020), and decades of regulatory enforcement actions. Consumers cannot detect most adulterants visually or by taste. Claims of purity without evidence are not trustworthy.
We test because:
- Our farmers’ work deserves verification — certified organic farming should be provably different from conventional, not just claimed
- Our customers deserve evidence — buying premium organic food deserves a verifiable safety guarantee
- Transparency builds trust — publishing results (including any that reveal issues we then address) demonstrates accountability
- Regulation requires it — FSSAI mandates testing for specific parameters by licensed food businesses; we go beyond the minimum
What We Test For
Pesticide residues:
- Panel of 100+ pesticides relevant to each crop type
- FSSAI Maximum Residue Limits (MRL) compliance
- Organic certification requires below-MRL levels
Heavy metals:
- Lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury — all four regulated heavy metals
- Critical for soil-grown products (spices, vegetables, grains)
- Lead chromate specifically tested for in turmeric
Adulterants (product-specific):
- Honey: NMR test for sugar syrup adulteration (in addition to standard C4 sugar test)
- Ghee: vanaspati/vegetable fat phytosterol test
- Turmeric: lead chromate, metanil yellow, starch
- Milk and dairy: antibiotics, adulterant panel
- Oils: fatty acid profile (verifies cold-press authenticity and detects blending)
Microbiological safety:
- Total plate count, coliform, E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria (where relevant)
- Aflatoxin (for dals, groundnut products, certain spices)
- Yeast and mould counts
Nutritional composition:
- Proximate analysis (protein, fat, carbohydrates, moisture, ash)
- Key micronutrients for nutrition claim verification (calcium in ragi, iron in horse gram, etc.)
Which Laboratories We Use
We use NABL (National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories) accredited labs that are also on FSSAI’s approved lab list. These are the same labs used by:
- State food safety authorities for enforcement testing
- FSSAI for national survey sampling
- Export certification authorities
Lab names and accreditation numbers are available on each report published at trust.organicmandya.com.
How We Sample
- Lot-based sampling: Each new production lot (harvest batch) is sampled independently
- Blind sampling: Samples are submitted to the lab without information about desired outcomes — the lab reports what it finds
- Retention samples: We retain a portion of each tested batch for independent re-testing if a complaint is received
- Field sampling: For farming certification audits, samples are taken at the farm level, not just from processed products
What Happens When a Test Fails
If a product lot fails any test parameter:
- The lot is quarantined and not released for sale
- The root cause is investigated (farm, processing, storage, or sourcing issue)
- The issue is addressed before the next lot is released
- The farmer is notified and supported in understanding the cause
- The failed lot result may be published on trust.organicmandya.com with context — transparency includes bad news
We do not retest failed lots hoping for a passing result. We address the underlying issue.
Our Testing vs Standard Industry Practice
| Testing Parameter | Standard Practice | Our Practice |
|---|---|---|
| Pesticide testing | On request or compliance only | Every lot, 100+ pesticide panel |
| Heavy metal testing | Rarely unless regulatory issue | Every lot for all 4 regulated metals |
| Adulteration testing | FSSAI minimum standard tests | Adulteration-specific tests per category |
| Honey NMR test | Not standard in India | Included for honey products |
| Lab independence | Often own lab or contracted preferred lab | NABL-accredited third-party labs only |
| Result publication | Internal only; shared on request | Public at trust.organicmandya.com |
| Failed lot practice | Variable; some retest until passing | Quarantine and address root cause |
We aim to go beyond FSSAI minimum compliance to provide the level of evidence that genuine food safety requires.
Q Can I request a test of a specific product I purchased?
Can I request a test of a specific product I purchased?
Yes — if you have a specific concern about a product you purchased, contact us at the email on the packaging. We will provide the lot number's test report. If you believe the product does not match what the report shows, we will arrange an independent re-test. We also encourage you to send the product to an FSSAI-accredited lab independently — the results are your right to obtain and compare.
Q How do I verify that the lab reports on trust.organicmandya.com are genuine?
How do I verify that the lab reports on trust.organicmandya.com are genuine?
Each published report includes: the laboratory's NABL accreditation number, the lab's FSSAI approval number, the specific lot number tested, the collection date, and the analysis date. You can verify the lab's accreditation status independently at nabl.gov.in by entering the accreditation number. If any of these verification fields are missing from a report, contact us — it may indicate a document upload error that we should correct.
Disclaimer: This article is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your doctor or a qualified healthcare provider before making dietary changes, especially if you have a medical condition.