The Herbaria company is inspected at regular intervals by the EC Eco-Control Agency QC&I, Cologne, in accordance with the EC Organic Production Directive regulatory criteria. The company’s own strict quality criteria are, however, are lot more stringent than the statutory regulations.
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| Optical quality control |
Strictest controls for herbs and spices
A small sample of herbs and spices is examined in our own laboratory straight after the harvest. The laboratory tests all incoming raw materials for identity, active ingredients content and purity. We also test for chemical spraying residues, heavy metal and radioactive contaminants, as well as potential pathogen infestation. Spices are also tested for the toxic fungal metabolites aflatoxin and ochratoxin, and for the Sudan Red colorant which is banned in the EU. Only once the sample has successfully passed all of the tests is the full quantity of raw materials ordered by Herbaria.
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| Residue control using the latest laboratory technology |
Cold chamber, laboratory, air washer
We test every delivery thoroughly! On arrival the raw materials are re-weighed, deep-frozen to minus 80 degrees in our in-house cold chamber with liquid air so that no pests are introduced, and checked for aroma, taste, appearance and foreign bodies. Samples are taken again and comprehensively tested in the laboratory. After cutting and sifting, the herbs are air washed and, if necessary, sorted by hand. Following the prescribed hygiene checks of all raw materials and of the machines, the precise net weight is determined according to the recipe. The mixing process in the drum is computer-controlled but requires longstanding experience and a high degree of responsibility.
Comprehensive documentation
Next comes the checking of contents and packaging before the herbs and spices are conveyed to the packaging machines. Electronic monitoring systems prevent mix-ups or mixing and control the exact content quantities. Final laboratory checks for the correct content or the use-by date, for example, are carried out before the finished tea or spice packets are sent for storage and despatch. All of the quality control steps are fully documented. We keep reserve samples for several years in accordance with the statutory provisions.
