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Herbs & Botanicals

CSI: Botanicals—The Botanical Authentication Toolbox

by Mike Straus | October 1, 2026

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

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