What to inspect in a COA before buying a powder

A practical, product-by-product checklist for reviewing a Certificate of Analysis (COA) before purchase. Use it to compare a supplier's actual batch results with your required specification.

Important: There is no single “ideal COA” that applies to every market or application. The values below are practical reference points and, where applicable, Indian regulatory standards. Final acceptance should be based on the buyer's specification, destination-country requirements, intended use, agreed test methods and the actual batch COA.

How to read a COA

Check	What you want to see
Identity & batch	Correct product name, botanical/raw-material identity, batch/lot number, production date and test date.
Physical quality	Characteristic colour, odour and appearance; no mould, infestation, foreign matter or abnormal off-notes.
Moisture	Low enough for the product and process to support stability; compare with the agreed product specification.
Microbiology	Results for total plate count, yeast & mould and relevant pathogens such as Salmonella and E. coli, against the agreed limits.
Contaminants	Heavy metals, pesticide residues, aflatoxins/mycotoxins and other destination-specific contaminants where applicable.
Functional marker	Where commercially relevant, check an active/quality marker such as curcuminoids, volatile oil, acidity or other product-specific parameter.
Traceability	COA should clearly identify the tested batch and issuing laboratory/supplier; independent laboratory testing can be requested for higher-risk or critical shipments.

Product-by-product

COA checkpoints for EcoSvasthi products

The most useful parameters to inspect change with the raw material and intended application.

Moringa Powder

Raw material: Moringa oleifera leaf powder

COA parameter	Typical / ideal checkpoint	Why inspect it
Moisture	Prefer a low, stable result; commonly around ≤7–8% for well-dried leaf powder, unless buyer specification differs.	Helps control stability and microbial growth.
Microbiology	TPC, yeast & mould, E. coli and Salmonella within agreed food-ingredient limits; pathogens should meet the applicable absence/limit requirement.	Key safety screen for a leafy botanical.
Pesticides / heavy metals	Within destination-market and buyer limits; test when the product is intended for food or nutraceutical use.	Moringa can carry agricultural-residue and mineral risks.

Amla Powder

Raw material: Phyllanthus emblica fruit powder

COA parameter	Typical / ideal checkpoint	Why inspect it
Moisture	Prefer a low result consistent with stable fruit powder; typically target ≤8–10% depending on process.	Supports shelf stability and free-flowing powder.
Microbiology	TPC, yeast & mould, E. coli and Salmonella within agreed limits.	Fruit powders can pick up microbial load if drying/storage is poor.
Vitamin C / acidity	Where relevant, request vitamin C and/or acidity data as a quality indicator rather than relying only on colour.	Useful for comparing batches and processing consistency.

Beetroot Powder

Raw material: Beta vulgaris root powder

COA parameter	Typical / ideal checkpoint	Why inspect it
Moisture	Preferably low and stable; commonly around ≤7–8% for dehydrated powder, subject to product specification.	Important for stability and colour retention.
Colour / betalain	If colour is a selling point, request betalain or colour-strength data and the test method.	Colour can vary substantially with cultivar and processing.
Microbiology / contaminants	Microbiology plus pesticides and heavy metals within buyer/destination limits.	Important for food and functional formulations.

Fenugreek Powder

Raw material: Trigonella foenum-graecum seed powder

COA parameter	Typical / ideal checkpoint	Why inspect it
Moisture	FSSAI reference: ≤10%.	Controls stability and quality.
Total ash / acid-insoluble ash	FSSAI references: total ash ≤5%; acid-insoluble ash ≤1.5% on dry basis.	Helps detect excess mineral matter/contamination.
Cold-water soluble extract	FSSAI reference: ≥30% on dry basis.	Useful quality indicator for fenugreek seed powder.

Chilli Powder

Raw material: Dried Capsicum spp. powder

COA parameter	Typical / ideal checkpoint	Why inspect it
Moisture	Use the agreed buyer limit; a low, stable result is preferred for shelf stability.	Higher moisture can increase caking and microbial risk.
Colour / pungency	Request colour value (ASTA where applicable) and pungency/capsaicin when required by the buyer.	These are commercially important performance parameters.
Aflatoxin / pesticides	Must meet destination-market and buyer limits; specifically review aflatoxins and pesticide residues.	Spices can be subject to strict contaminant controls.

Neem Powder

Raw material: Azadirachta indica leaf powder

COA parameter	Typical / ideal checkpoint	Why inspect it
Moisture	Prefer a low, stable moisture result appropriate for botanical powder; buyer specification should govern.	Supports storage stability.
Microbiology	TPC, yeast & mould, E. coli and Salmonella against agreed limits.	Important for botanical materials.
Identity / contaminants	Botanical identity, pesticides and heavy metals should be documented when relevant to the intended use.	Application determines the required compliance profile.

Tamarind Seed Powder

Raw material: Tamarindus indica seed powder

COA parameter	Typical / ideal checkpoint	Why inspect it
Moisture	Prefer low, stable moisture appropriate to the intended functional application.	Supports storage and powder handling.
Functional / viscosity property	Where used as a binder/thickener, request viscosity or gel/functional performance data using an agreed method.	A basic safety COA may not demonstrate functional suitability.
Microbiology / heavy metals	Within agreed food or industrial ingredient limits, as applicable.	Intended use should drive the testing panel.

Potato Powder

Raw material: Solanum tuberosum dehydrated powder

COA parameter	Typical / ideal checkpoint	Why inspect it
Moisture	Preferably low and stable; buyer specification should define the maximum.	Important for caking, stability and shelf life.
Microbiology	TPC, yeast & mould, E. coli and Salmonella as applicable to the intended food use.	Potato powders are often used in ready-to-use food systems.
Functional quality	Request particle size, colour and where relevant viscosity, rehydration or water-absorption data.	These can matter more than a generic COA for formulation performance.

Okra Powder

Raw material: Abelmoschus esculentus powder

COA parameter	Typical / ideal checkpoint	Why inspect it
Moisture	Prefer a low, stable result appropriate to the intended food application.	Supports stability and powder flow.
Microbiology	TPC, yeast & mould, E. coli and Salmonella within agreed limits.	Okra powder is a plant-derived food ingredient.
Functional / mucilage performance	If used as a thickener, ask for viscosity or hydration-performance data using an agreed test method.	Functional suitability should be verified separately from basic safety.

Tapioca / Cassava Powder

Raw material: Manihot esculenta powder

COA parameter	Typical / ideal checkpoint	Why inspect it
Moisture	Use the buyer's specification; low moisture is generally preferred for stable dry ingredient storage.	Controls caking and storage stability.
Starch / functional profile	Depending on product, request starch content and functional parameters such as viscosity, particle size or gelatinisation behaviour.	Tapioca products can differ substantially by processing.
Microbiology / contaminants	Within agreed food-ingredient and destination-market limits; include relevant contaminant tests for the intended market.	The application determines the right COA panel.

Turmeric Powder

Raw material: Curcuma longa rhizome powder

COA parameter	Typical / ideal checkpoint	Why inspect it
Moisture	FSSAI reference: ≤10%.	Supports stability and powder quality.
Total ash / acid-insoluble ash	FSSAI references: total ash ≤9%; acid-insoluble ash ≤1.5% on dry basis.	Useful purity indicators.
Curcuminoids / adulteration	FSSAI reference: curcuminoids ≥2% on dry basis; lead chromate test should be negative. Buyer may require a higher curcuminoid specification.	Curcuminoid content is a key commercial quality marker for turmeric.

Dry Mango Powder

Raw material: Amchur / dried mango powder

COA parameter	Typical / ideal checkpoint	Why inspect it
Moisture	FSSAI reference: ≤12%.	Important for storage stability.
Acidity	FSSAI reference: acidity as anhydrous tartaric acid 12–26%.	Acidity strongly affects amchur’s commercial performance as a souring ingredient.
Ash / fibre	FSSAI references: total ash ≤6% (salt-free basis), acid-insoluble ash ≤1.5%, crude fibre ≤6%.	Useful for quality and cleanliness checks.

Ginger Powder

Raw material: Zingiber officinale dried ginger powder

COA parameter	Typical / ideal checkpoint	Why inspect it
Moisture	Prefer a low, stable result; compare with the applicable buyer/product specification.	Supports shelf stability and aroma retention.
Volatile oil / gingerol profile	Request volatile-oil data where relevant; for premium functional applications, a gingerol profile may also be requested.	Aroma and pungency are commercially important.
Microbiology / contaminants	TPC, yeast & mould, E. coli, Salmonella, pesticides and heavy metals according to buyer/destination requirements.	Dried spice powders can face strict residue and microbiological controls.

Curry Leaves Powder

Raw material: Murraya koenigii leaf powder

COA parameter	Typical / ideal checkpoint	Why inspect it
Moisture	Prefer a low, stable result appropriate to dried leaf powder and the buyer specification.	Supports colour, aroma and storage stability.
Microbiology	TPC, yeast & mould, E. coli and Salmonella within agreed limits.	Leaf powders need careful drying and storage control.
Pesticides / heavy metals	Within destination-market and buyer limits; request residue testing when used as a food ingredient.	Leafy materials can be exposed to agricultural residues.

Our sourcing commitment

EcoSvasthi shall strive to source products and coordinate supply in accordance with the specifications communicated and agreed by the buyer. Where a buyer requires a particular moisture level, mesh, microbiological limit, residue profile, active-marker specification, packaging format or destination-market requirement, those requirements should be established before commercial confirmation and reflected in the applicable product specification.

Important: The figures on this page are reference points, not a guarantee that every batch will meet them or that they are the legal limits in every destination. The applicable buyer specification, current destination-country regulations, agreed test method and actual batch COA take precedence.

Indian food products should be checked against the current applicable FSSAI standards and contaminant requirements. FSSAI maintains product standards and testing resources.

Discuss your specification →