Nammex, North American supplier of certified organic functional mushroom extracts, is making its internal fit-for-purpose, validated HPTLC test method for identification and quality control of functional mushrooms available to the industry.
 
This method, a description of which can be found here, is intended to enhance quality control transparency and reliability by addressing industry concerns about mislabeling, and sets new standards for quality testing for commercially available mushroom extracts. This technique was specifically designed for the accurate identification of multiple fungi species.
 
“As the mushroom industry continues robust growth, it’s important that the stakeholders, suppliers, brands, and analytical testing scientists work to reach consensus on ‘fit-for-purpose’ test methods,” said Bill Chioffi, Nammex COO. “We will continue to share our expertise and stay in conversation with colleagues to support the legitimacy and integrity of this important product category.”
 
The method was presented in a web seminar on Nov. 13, 2024 in collaboration with CAMAG Scientific. Ensuring quality and authenticity in mushroom supplements using HPTLC, by Dr. Melanie Broszat, editor of CAMAG’s CBS magazine and Coleton Windsor, analytical chemist at Nammex, explained the significance of accurate species identification in the mushroom extract food and dietary supplement industries, describe how the HPTLC method enhances quality control by differentiating between authentic mushroom and myceliated grain products, and provide insights into composition and quality differences between commercially available fungi products, and the challenges associated with mislabeling.