AYUSH Aflatoxin Testing in Herbal Products
AYUSH and herbal-medicine aflatoxin limits are distinct from FSSAI food aflatoxin limits. Applying a food limit to a herbal preparation is a regulatory error — the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (API), the WHO Quality Control Methods for Medicinal Plant Materials, and individual AYUSH monographs set their own per-preparation limits, often at the low parts-per-billion range and stricter than the FSSAI 30 ppb food total. A single aflatoxin exceedance under the wrong limit reference stops an AYUSH licence, blocks an EU or Gulf import, and triggers state-AYUSH directorate enforcement. Auriga Research delivers NABL-accredited aflatoxin testing scoped to the correct AYUSH framework.
Our programme tests Aflatoxin B1 (IARC Group 1 carcinogen), B2, G1, G2, and the reported total by HPLC with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD) and LC-MS/MS confirmation. Sample preparation is matrix-specific for botanical raw materials — rhizomes, leaves, fruits, seeds, barks, and roots — and for finished AYUSH preparations including churnas, vatis, kashayas, taila, arishta, and bhasma. Methods align with USP <561> botanical articles, AOAC 991.31, ISO 16050, API monographs, and WHO herbal-medicine guidelines.
Testing is performed at our Delhi HQ (Arbro Analytical Division, NABL TC-7375) — India's first herbal testing lab licensed by the Directorate of ISM&H, AYUSH-approved since 2004 (DTL-01 A&U), and holder of the Unani licence. Bahadurgarh (Alcatec Research Laboratories, NABL TC-7710) provides secondary AYUSH-approved capacity. Backed by the Arbro Group's unbroken NABL ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation since 2003, reports are accepted by the Ministry of AYUSH, CDSCO, state AYUSH licensing authorities, and export regulators in EU, US, Gulf, ASEAN, and African markets.
Aflatoxin Testing Capabilities
Each capability is mapped to its analytical method and the regulatory anchor so AYUSH QA, regulatory consultants, and export-dossier teams can scope at a glance.
Aflatoxin B1 — Class 1 Carcinogen
IARC Group 1 carcinogen. Quantitative determination by HPLC with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD) — the routine reference method for AYUSH and herbal aflatoxin work. Low parts-per-billion sensitivity to meet API and WHO limits.
Total Aflatoxin Panel
Individual quantification of B1, B2, G1, and G2 with the reported total. Required by API monographs and the WHO Quality Control Methods for Medicinal Plant Materials for total-aflatoxin compliance.
AYUSH Monograph Compliance
Test quoted against the specific AYUSH / API / UPI / SPI monograph for your preparation. Bhasma, rasashastra, churnas, vatis, kashayas, and arishtas each carry their own monograph reference — applied correctly per product.
LC-MS/MS Confirmation
Triple-quadrupole LC-MS/MS confirmation for regulatory or buyer dossiers requiring mass-spectrometric confirmation. Same sample preparation, mass-spec confirmation in parallel with HPLC-FLD quantitation.
Raw Herbal Material Screening
Aflatoxin screening of botanical raw materials — rhizomes, leaves, fruits, seeds, barks, roots, and spices used in herbal formulations. Catches contamination at the supplier-qualification stage before batch production.
EU / US / Gulf Export Compliance
Reported against destination-market limits including EU Commission Regulation 1881/2006 (2 ppb B1, 4 ppb total in herbal medicines), US FDA action levels, Gulf SFDA requirements, and WHO herbal-medicine limits.
AYUSH limits ≠ food limits. The FSSAI total aflatoxin limit of 30 ppb for food does NOT apply to AYUSH and herbal preparations. API monographs, WHO Quality Control Methods for Medicinal Plant Materials, and per-preparation AYUSH monographs typically specify stricter limits at the low parts-per-billion range. Auriga quotes apply the correct AYUSH / API monograph for your specific preparation — not the food limit.
How It Works
Get a Quote
Share your product (raw herb, extract, churna, bhasma, finished AYUSH formulation), the AYUSH framework (API / UPI / SPI / Homeopathy), and target market (Ministry of AYUSH, CDSCO, EU / US / Gulf export). Your dedicated SPOC confirms the aflatoxin panel scope, the applicable AYUSH or API monograph reference, and the sample quantity required before you dispatch.
Send Your Sample
Dispatch the herbal raw material or finished AYUSH product with a completed Test Request Form to the Delhi HQ (Arbro Analytical Division) or Bahadurgarh (Alcatec) lab. Each sample is bar coded and registered in YLIMS, Auriga's in-house Laboratory Information Management System, upon receipt. Testing begins within 24 hours of registration.
HPLC-FLD Testing and QA Review
Your sample is extracted using matrix-specific preparation and analysed for Aflatoxin B1, B2, G1, and G2 individually plus the reported total by HPLC-FLD. LC-MS/MS confirmation runs in parallel where the dossier requires mass-spectrometric confirmation. Every result is interpreted against the correct AYUSH / API monograph and passes formal internal QA review and sign-off before the report is generated.
Receive Your NABL Report
Your NABL-accredited aflatoxin report is delivered digitally within the committed turnaround time. Reports cite the AYUSH / API monograph reference, individual aflatoxin levels, total aflatoxin, and the compliance verdict for your target market. Accepted by Ministry of AYUSH, CDSCO, state AYUSH licensing authorities, and export regulators. Track status through YLIMS.
Turnaround Time
| Panel | Standard TAT | Express |
|---|---|---|
| Aflatoxin B1 only by HPLC-FLD | 5 to 7 business days | Available |
| Total aflatoxin B1+B2+G1+G2 by HPLC-FLD | 5 to 7 business days | Available |
| LC-MS/MS confirmation (parallel run) | 7 to 10 business days | Available |
| Raw herb supplier qualification panel | 5 to 7 business days | Available |
| Finished AYUSH product per API monograph | 7 to 10 business days | On request |
| Export-compliance package (EU, US, Gulf, WHO) | 7 to 10 business days | On request |
Who Needs AYUSH Aflatoxin Testing
- AYUSH-licensed manufacturers preparing dossiers for Ministry of AYUSH or state licensing authority product registration and renewal.
- Ayurvedic, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy formulators verifying raw botanical materials before batch production.
- Herbal supplement and nutraceutical brands sourcing rhizomes, leaves, seeds, fruits, or barks where aflatoxin contamination risk is structurally elevated.
- Exporters supplying EU, US, Gulf, ASEAN, and African markets where destination-market aflatoxin limits apply alongside Indian AYUSH limits.
- Bhasma and rasashastra manufacturers requiring per-preparation aflatoxin verification per API monograph.
- AYUSH GMP auditees facing inspection where total aflatoxin and Aflatoxin B1 are mandatory check points.
- Spice and nut suppliers selling into herbal formulators where the AYUSH monograph limit (not the FSSAI food limit) applies.
- Brands contesting a CDSCO, state AYUSH, or import-side aflatoxin finding — full re-test on NABL chain of custody.
Why Auriga for AYUSH Aflatoxin Testing
Correct AYUSH Limit Applied
Quotes apply the specific API, UPI, SPI, or WHO medicinal-plant aflatoxin monograph for your preparation — not the FSSAI food limit. Most labs apply the wrong limit; we apply the correct one.
First ISM&H-Licensed Herbal Lab
Delhi HQ is India's first herbal testing lab licensed by the Directorate of ISM&H — a verifiable, unique credential that other commercial herbal labs do not hold.
HPLC-FLD + LC-MS/MS in One Lab
HPLC-FLD for routine quantitation plus LC-MS/MS confirmation in the same sample preparation — covering dossiers that require mass-spectrometric confirmation alongside fluorescence-detection quantitation.
Two AYUSH-Approved Labs
Delhi HQ (AYUSH since 2004, DTL-01 A&U) and Bahadurgarh (Alcatec, AYUSH approved) — parallel capacity for high-volume supplier qualification or routine AYUSH GMP compliance work.
Export-Market Reporting
Reports cite destination-market limits (EU 1881/2006, US FDA, Gulf SFDA, WHO) alongside the Indian AYUSH limit. One CoA, multi-market acceptance.
Arbro Group Heritage Since 2003
Two decades of unbroken NABL ISO/IEC 17025 conformity. Arbro Lab since 1990, Auriga Research since 2007 — the audit trail Ministry of AYUSH, CDSCO, EU CPNP, and international buyers look for.