Our quality standard

The supplement industry is largely self-regulated. The FDA does not approve dietary supplements before they go to market, and label accuracy is not routinely verified by any government agency. This means the burden of quality verification falls entirely on the manufacturer — and most manufacturers do not test rigorously. A 2015 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that 32% of herbal supplements tested did not contain the primary ingredient listed on the label. Nyum’s five-step verification protocol exists specifically to close this gap.

Ingredient sourcing

Sourcing decisions are made at the extract level, not the raw material level. This means we specify the exact extract — Super-U fucoidan from Undaria pinnatifida mekabu, KSM-66 ashwagandha from Ixoreal Biomed, fruiting body mushroom extracts with verified beta-glucan content — rather than purchasing generic “fucoidan powder” or “ashwagandha root” from the lowest bidder. Named extracts come with the supplier’s own quality documentation, which we verify independently.

Identity testing

Ingredient substitution is one of the most common forms of supplement fraud. A supplier may label a product as one species while shipping a cheaper substitute — a practice documented extensively in botanical supplements. DNA barcoding can identify the exact species of a botanical ingredient with high accuracy. HPTLC creates a chemical fingerprint of the extract that can be compared against a reference standard. Both methods are used by independent laboratories contracted by Nyum for incoming ingredient verification.

Potency verification (HPLC)

HPLC works by separating compounds in a sample based on their chemical properties and measuring the concentration of each. For fucoidan, HPLC quantifies the sulfated polysaccharide content. For ashwagandha, it measures withanolide concentration. For shilajit, it verifies fulvic acid percentage. The result is a precise, quantitative confirmation that the active compound is present at the labeled dose — not an estimate, not a proxy measurement, but a direct chemical verification. Nyum HPLC results are documented in the product COA.

1. Sample preparation Finished product is dissolved and prepared for chromatographic analysis by the independent laboratory.
2. Column separation The sample passes through a chromatography column that separates compounds based on their chemical affinity.
3. Detection & quantification A UV or mass spectrometry detector measures the concentration of the target compound as it elutes from the column.
4. Reference comparison Results are compared against a certified reference standard to confirm identity and calculate exact concentration.
5. COA issuance The laboratory issues a signed certificate of analysis documenting the verified potency, which Nyum retains and makes available on request.

Heavy metal screening

Marine-sourced ingredients (fucoidan, sea moss) and geological-sourced ingredients (shilajit) carry inherent heavy metal risk from their natural environments. Botanical ingredients can accumulate heavy metals from contaminated soil. ICP-MS can detect heavy metals at parts-per-billion concentrations — far below the threshold of concern. Nyum applies Prop 65 limits as our internal standard because they are more stringent than FDA guidelines, providing an additional safety margin.

Microbial testing

Microbial contamination in supplements can occur at multiple points: in the raw ingredient, during manufacturing, or during packaging. GMP-certified manufacturing facilities have environmental monitoring programs to minimize contamination risk, but finished product microbial testing provides the final verification. Nyum applies USP (United States Pharmacopeia) microbial limits as our standard — the same limits applied to pharmaceutical products. Any batch that fails microbial testing is rejected and not released for sale.

Certifications