There’s no shortage of tools that ingredient suppliers can use to verify botanical identity and combat adulteration. But while botanical authentication is important, no single test is definitive. That’s why using multiple methods of verifying botanicals is the best strategy for combatting adulteration.
Here’s a quick cheat sheet of the different ways you can verify botanicals—and when it’s appropriate to use each one.
| Tool | What It Helps Verify |
| Botanical identification | Correct species and plant part |
| Microscopy | Physical characteristics of raw plant material |
| HPTLC / chromatographic fingerprinting | Chemical profile and consistency |
| HPLC / GC / mass spectrometry | Specific compounds and markers |
| DNA authentication / barcoding | Species identity, especially at the raw-material stage |
| Contaminant testing | Undesirable or undeclared substances |
| Supply-chain traceability | Origin, geography, harvest and processing history |



