Nammex is making its validated HPTLC mushroom testing method available to industry

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Nammex (Gibson, BC, Canada) has announced that it will be making its internal fit-for-purpose, validated HPTLC (high-performance thin layer chromatography) test method used for identification and quality control of functional mushrooms available to industry. The method was presented in a recent webinar that aired on November 13, 2024 titled “Ensuring quality and authenticity in mushroom supplements using HPTLC.” The webinar was done in collaboration with CAMAG Scientific, presented by Dr. Melanie Broszat, editor of CAMAG's CBS magazine and Coleton Windsor, analytical chemist at Nammex.

According to the company’s press release, the method differentiates between authentic mushroom and myceliated grain products. In an article that describes the methodology in more detail, Windsor writes that there is only one validated HPTLC mushroom identification method that has been published (USP Ganoderma lucidum monograph) that has been used indiscriminately across other species that has the potential to lead to misidentification. The method described by Nammex is supposed to ensure that characteristic compounds from diverse chemical classes of mushrooms are clearly separated for accurate species identification. HPTLC’s advantage, says Windsor, is its “specificity, versatility, and ability to detect adulteration in complex products.”

“The high selectivity of the HPTLC method is demonstrated through distinct chromatographic fingerprints obtained for each species,” writes Windsor. “These fingerprints display characteristic bands under multiple detection modes, providing a reliable means of differentiating between species and product types such as mushroom extracts and mycelia fermented grain powders.”

“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, in a press release. “We will continue to share our expertise and stay in conversation with colleagues to support the legitimacy and integrity of this important product category.”

For more information on the testing method, you can reach out to Chioffi at bill@nammex.com.