Monteloeder’s Quality Control Department ensures that the raw materials and purified botanical extracts that leave its premises are of top quality and free of any contamination or adulteration. This includes correctly identifying the plant species, which many times can be extremely difficult when working with dried extracts. Besides morphological, microscopical and sensorial techniques, an important method for plant identification is liquid chromatography (HPLC) with photodiode array detection and mass spectrometry. This technique is very robust and allows to obtain chromatographic profiles of substances (active compounds) that are specific for each botanical extract, as well as to also identify the part of the plant from which it was extracted, such as the aerial part, leaf, fruit, bark, root, rhizome or bulb. This allows us to obtain a unique fingerprint of the plant and the extract.
The Quality Control Department maintains a list of the major functional active compounds that are present in all the botanical species that Monteloeder regularly works with. This knowledge allows to perfectly characterize and identify the extracts and raw materials, ensuring to avoid cross-contaminations with other botanical species and intentional or unintentional adulterations.
Avoiding contamination with other botanical species when growing and harvesting is vital, as unwanted substances can appear, such as certain alkaloids that can be hazardous for one´s health.
Controlling the raw materials from their source is equally important, ensuring that during the extraction process the product maintains its properties and free of contaminants. Also, after harvesting it is ideal to dry the raw materials naturally by taking advantage of the sun.
Monteloeder´s expertise also resides on understanding the functionalities of the most abundant active compounds present in the botanical extracts, as well as design and develop specific extraction processes to obtain customized botanical extracts with the desired composition.
In this way, Monteloeder’s key botanical extracts are completely characterized and specified to comply with its needs and of their clients, while meeting the quality requirements in accordance with the regulations of each country.
Fran Cremades
Quality Control Director
