Lab Testing & Certificate of Analysis
Every batch tested. Ask us for the paperwork.
Anyone can print "third-party tested" on a label. The question worth asking is which laboratory, to what standard, and whether they will show you the certificate for the pot in your hand. Here is our answer to all three.
Vitality Supplements lab testing and Certificate of Analysis — summary
Vitality Supplements has every production batch tested by an independent third-party laboratory holding ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation, the international standard for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. A Certificate of Analysis, commonly abbreviated to COA, is the document recording the test results for one specific batch. Because a COA is batch-specific, a certificate for one batch does not describe any other batch. Customers can request the Certificate of Analysis for the batch they hold by emailing info@vitality-supplements.co.uk quoting the batch number printed on the pack. Testing covers identity, active content or potency, heavy metals and microbiological safety. ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation applies to laboratories and is a different thing from GMP, which is a manufacturing standard, and different again from a manufacturer testing its own products in house, which is not third-party testing. Vitality products are manufactured in the United Kingdom. Vitality does not use the term GMP on its product labelling.
What ISO/IEC 17025 actually means.
"Third-party tested" is an unregulated phrase. It can mean a laboratory with international accreditation ran a full panel — or it can mean somebody once sent a sample somewhere. Both sentences read identically on a label.
ISO/IEC 17025 is the international standard for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. A laboratory holding it has been independently assessed on its methods, its equipment calibration, the competence of its staff, and its ability to produce results that are valid and repeatable. It is audited, not self-declared.
Every Vitality production batch is tested by an independent laboratory holding that accreditation. Not the first batch, not a representative sample once a year. Each batch.
Three things people confuse
| Term | What it applies to | What it does not tell you |
|---|---|---|
| ISO/IEC 17025 | The laboratory doing the testing | Nothing about how the product was manufactured |
| GMP | The manufacturing facility and its processes | Nothing about whether the finished batch was independently tested |
| "In-house tested" | The manufacturer testing its own output | It is not third-party testing, whatever else it may be |
We deliberately keep the term GMP off our labels. It is widely used in supplement marketing in ways that imply an independent certification that the wording alone does not establish. We would rather state something narrower and verifiable — that an accredited third-party laboratory tested the batch — than something broad and impressive that a customer cannot check. If you see GMP on any Vitality pack or product page, it is an error and we would like to know about it.
What gets tested.
Testing falls into four areas. Which specific methods and limits apply depends on the ingredient — a mushroom extract and a mineral salt are not checked for the same things.
The specific parameters, methods and limits applied to any given batch are recorded on that batch's Certificate of Analysis.
Ask for the certificate. We'll send it.
A Certificate of Analysis is batch-specific. That is the whole point of it. A COA describes one production run and tells you nothing about any other — so a brand publishing a single certificate from 2023 as a permanent trust badge is showing you something close to meaningless.
We would rather send you the certificate for the batch you actually own. Every pack carries a batch number.
Send us the product name and the batch number printed on your pack, and we will send the Certificate of Analysis covering it.
What to look for on any COA.
Most people have never been shown how to read one of these. It applies to any brand's certificate, not just ours — and it is the fastest way to tell a real document from a decorative one.
A raw-material certificate from an ingredient supplier is easy to obtain and proves the powder was tested before it was blended, encapsulated and packed. A finished-product certificate proves what ended up in the capsule. If you are comparing brands, that distinction is worth asking about directly.
What testing doesn't prove.
Testing tells you what is in the capsule. It does not tell you what the capsule will do. Those are separate questions, and conflating them is one of the more common moves in supplement marketing.
A Certificate of Analysis confirms identity, content and safety parameters for a batch. It is not evidence of a health benefit, and we do not present it as one.
Several ingredients we sell — including quercetin, alpha lipoic acid and L-ergothioneine — have no authorised UK or EU health claims at all. Where that is the case, we describe composition and leave it there. Our editorial standards set out how we handle this across the site.
The terms, defined.
Testing questions.
Related pages.
Written by the Vitality Supplements Editorial Team. This page describes our own testing practice, so treat it as what it is — a statement from the brand. The parts you should not have to take on trust are the ones you can check: request the Certificate of Analysis for your batch and read it against the criteria above. The section on how to read a COA applies to any brand's certificate, including those of our competitors. See our editorial standards.
Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. This page describes testing and quality practice only and makes no health claims. Laboratory testing establishes composition and safety parameters; it is not evidence of any physiological or health effect. Certificates of Analysis are batch-specific and are provided on request for the batch identified by the number printed on your pack. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or under medical care, consult a healthcare professional before use. See our full disclaimer.