At RidgeCrest Herbals, we believe that in time, science will validate the historical uses of most herbal combinations. We are working to gather a compendium of the research that has already been done on the individual ingredients in our products.

At the same time, we constantly are using modern science to validate the quality of our products. As part of our transparency project, here is some information on how we ensure the quality of our products:

Testing: Testing is generally done in two separate stages: raw ingredients and finished product. Testing is done in-house at our manufacturers that have laboratories or are sent out to our favorite high-quality labs if in-house testing is not available. Most all RidgeCrest Herbals ingredient suppliers are prequalified by our manufacturers and are approved sources for providing quality ingredients. Raw ingredient testing requires that the manufacturer request an initial sample of the product from the supplier before ordering for identity testing if they are not on the prequalified list. If an ingredient passes identity testing, it is then ordered. Once a raw ingredient is received by the manufacturer, multiple samples from different areas in the container (top, middle, and bottom) are pulled for testing.

All raw materials are first tested for identity via HPLC, HPTLC, and/or microscopic ID, and sometimes other methods. A sample is also sent to the quality unit at RidgeCrest Herbals for organoleptic/sensory testing. The raw material is also tested for microbes and heavy metals and must meet all RidgeCrest specification requirements as well as the safety limits set by the FDA and applicable international requirements.

Finished products are again tested by the manufacturer for microbes and total heavy metals before shipping to the RidgeCrest facility. When it arrives at our warehouse, RidgeCrest receives a finished product Certificate of Analysis (COA) along with all of the raw ingredient COAs, and records for the entire manufacturing and testing of every batch produced. It includes each step from ingredient sourcing to finished product, truck inspections, and shipping. When the product arrives at the RidgeCrest facility, our quality unit performs a series of testing that includes organoleptic/sensory testing, comparison with past batches, capsule count, packaging integrity, and more. We then create our own COA based on the approved manufacturer batching records and our own quality assurance methods and records designed specifically to provide our customers with complete transparency. Although at this time not all lot numbers are immediately available online, an example of the RidgeCrest COA for each product can be found on our website (below). These are updated annually. A more current version for each and every lot can be provided upon request for any customer to review. We appreciate your patience as we work to make Lot transparency a reality.

Shelf Stability Testing: Although ahead of the times, over the years RidgeCrest has done occasional testing to assure our 4-year shelf stability. Now it is slowly becoming standard practice to perform consistent testing on products to validate shelf stability. During 2016-2017, RidgeCrest implemented a shelf stability testing program to assure each product was being tested regularly and meets the 4-year shelf stability guarantee.

Qualified Employees: RidgeCrest Herbals invests a great deal of money and time into making sure our Quality Assurance employees are qualified, trained, and receive continuing education concerning regulatory and high-quality standards set by both the industry and regulatory organizations. Internal and external training and memberships are encouraged and paid for by RidgeCrest when available. We believe that our entire team should believe in and understand what we do. When we have added to our team, we look first inside our industry to find good citizens that are passionate about the power of nature. We see and encourage the natural gifts our people have. While this passion can be learned, most the time it just needs to be worked like a muscle to uncover the love and desire to help others, which we hear and see each other do when we share with our customers. It is a beacon of light in our work world and to those we impact.

Each team member is expected to share our core values: eclectic, innovative, effective, trust, caring, and fun. You can read more about this under our "About Us" section on the website.

Membership Organizations: RidgeCrest is an upstanding and active member of the ABC, AHPA, NPA, and more. These organizations help keep members up-to-date on all FDA requirements and changes, industry trends, and testing requirements. We also strive to make our voice heard in political matters and put our best foot forward in being an industry and consumer advocate. You'll definitely find us in our Nation's Capital expressing our passion for the industry and consumers’ right to have access to alternative medicine.

Our Eclectic approach: Combining the best of old and new methods, we blend traditional ingredients with modern research in new combinations, with state-of-the-art testing and verification to assure that our products are both safe and effective. We are happy to compare our methods and results with anyone in the industry. If you have any questions about our products or methods, please feel free to call us at 1-800-242-4649.