Higher Quality Standards Through Testing
Mushroom supplements are largely unregulated and most industry-standard testing practices don’t show the complete picture.
WholeSun Wellness goes above and beyond with new testing methods that offer a more complete approach to mushroom quality and potency.
Industry-Standard Testing Methods
With little official regulation, third-party agencies and governing bodies like the USDA are primarily responsible for overseeing mushroom farming and processing practices. But these agencies are not involved in determining what makes a high-quality supplement.
Manufacturers are responsible for setting their own standards and figuring out how to meet them.
There are several industry-standard testing methods that reveal microbial levels, heavy metal levels, and pesticides. The material may also go through additional testing to determine polysaccharide levels.
Our New Approach to Testing
The standard testing methods in our industry have severe limitations and cannot accurately validate the level of quality we demand. So, WholeSun Wellness adopted new testing methods that reveal more than the standard testing protocols.
A Match made in Mushrooms
We teamed up with Jeff Tassill and his team at Alita Bioscience to change the face of medicinal mushroom testing.
Like us, Alita Bioscience specializes in fungi. They perform more rigorous and accurate testing for mushrooms that you can’t find anywhere else. Their lab is the only facility in the world that performs these specialized tests, and exclusively for WholeSun Wellness.
They are also an active research lab, developing new approaches to study and understand medicinal mushrooms, and how they can benefit our health.
Testing Protocol
WholeSun Wellness mushrooms are tested four times before hitting the shelves. Our growers and manufacturers test after harvesting the mushrooms and after the extraction process. Then, the material is tested by a third-party lab, and finally, specially tested by Alita Bioscience.
Each batch of our mushrooms undergoes a rigorous protocol to guarantee quality and purity.
- Beta-glucans
- Alpha-glucans/starch
- Active compounds analysis
- DNA verification of strains
- Extract testing
- Additives, dextrin, and fillers testing
- Heavy metals testing
- Pesticide testing that exceeds United States Pharmacopeia (USP) standards
- Ergosterol testing to ensure fungal purity
- Complete microbial testing for bacteria, yeast, E. Coli, mold, and coliforms
Testing for beta-glucans
Beta-glucans make up to 50% of the mushroom cell wall and are heavily studied for their effects on the body. It makes sense that beta-glucans are a huge selling point for any mushroom supplement.
High beta-glucan levels do not necessarily mean a high-quality product. Standard testing confuses beta-glucans and alpha-glucans.
- Beta-glucans are often detected through a basic polysaccharide test that measures the presence of complex sugars. The standard test detected beta-glucans and alpha-glucans.
- Alpha-glucans are pure starch. They do not have therapeutic benefits. It is like eating rice, and who wants rice in a mushroom supplement?
- Artificial beta-glucans are required – Companies that rely on a standard polysaccharide test will add artificial beta-glucans to meet whatever is promised on the label (for example, 10% or 50 mg).
Mushrooms are much more than beta-glucans. We are determined to continue developing more accurate and rigorous testing for all the components in mushrooms.
Nutritional Profile
Mushrooms are food. They have a complex blend of nutrients and minerals, just like any whole food product.
WholeSun Wellness is the first in the industry to test and publish the nutritional profiles of every product and to showcase them on our packaging.