Sourcing, processing, testing of Kratom

At Kraatje all kratom comes from a good, ethical and environmentally friendly source and is thoroughly tested before it reaches you. Every batch is lab-tested sterilized. We manage the entire supply chain ourselves, from sourcing in Indonesia to packaging in the Netherlands. Below we explain exactly how our kratom is sourced, processed and tested.

How our kratom is sourced and processed

Our kratom comes from experienced farmers in Indonesia, from regions where the kratom tree (Mitragyna speciosa) naturally grows. These farmers use sustainable and environmentally friendly farming practices, healthy rich soils and natural resources to grow their acres. All our kratom is sourced from soils with close to zero heavy metals in the ground; mercury, arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury are practically non-existent. Because of this we ensure that all our kratom is free from toxic dosages of heavy metals. Review our lab-test page to see the heavy-metal levels in our kratom Other metals occur naturally in the leaves, however, absorbed by the tree from the soil. These are beneficial to its health, in supporting photosynthesis, respiration, and nitrogen assimilation.

We work with farmers across South-East Asia, they grow and nurture the trees, collect the leaves, and dry them in their own greenhouses until they are ready to be processed. After the leaves are properly dried, the stems and veins are separated from the leaf material. Then, our partner Borneo World Kratom, a leading producer of kratom in Indonesia, ships the dried leaves to their factory, where they are further dried and fermented until they reach the right moisture level for making kratom powder. 

Grinding, testing and homogenizing

Next the dried leaves are ground into a fine powder. But just grinding is not enough to guarantee a consistent product. That is why every batch goes through a homogenizing process with an industrial mixer. This makes sure that the alkaloid profile, including the mitragynine percentage (MIT%), is evenly distributed across the entire batch. Whether you open the first bag or the last, you get the same quality.

Every batch is tested twice during production. The first test happens after grinding, and a second test after homogenizing. The batch gets separated into multiple sub-batches to ensure consistency. This confirms that the entire batch is potent and of quality throughout .

Sterilization

All our kratom batches are sterilized by food-grade gamma radiation. This is the same technique used in the food and pharmaceutical industry to kill bacteria, molds and other micro-organisms, insects and pests. This method is the indsutry standard and very safe way to rule-out contimation. We expose our kratom to the gamma radiation treatment  after it is vacuum sealed and packaged. Afterwards, our kratom is stored safely. Elminiating risk of recontimation. This method is a non-chemical method that does not alter the alkaloid profile. Sterilization by heat, does alter the alkaloid profile, reducing the alkaloid levels in the powder. 

How we test our kratom

What do we test for?

Our lab testing covers two important areas:

Heavy metals: We test for the most common and important heavy metals; lead, arsenic, mercury & cadmium. We adhere to strict limits for eachy heavy-metal. If a lab-test exceeds a heavy metal limit, we do not sell it.

Our voluntary maximum limits

Together with experienced toxicologists, we've defined our own maximum limits and we've set them deliberately tight. Each one sits at or below the European Union's maximum levels for food supplements, and below the World Health Organization's guideline values for botanical materials. A batch has to fall under every one of these thresholds before it earns a place in our collection.

*The EU sets no general heavy-metal limit for arsenic in food supplements; it regulates inorganic arsenic only in specific food categories. Our 1.0 ppm limit follows the World Health Organization's guidance for botanical materials. EU food-supplement levels per Regulation (EU) 2023/915.

Alkaloid profile: The alkaloid content of each batch is tested to verify the concentration of key alkaloids, in particular mitragynine, which is considered the most important alkaloïde in determining quality. We also test for other alkaloids like; Speciociliatine, Paynantheine, Speciogynine, 7-Hydroxymitragynine, Isorhynchophylline and Mitraphylline. This way we know every batch has the expected alkaloid profile for its strain. You get consistent quality, every time. You can view our lab-tests here

Microbiology test: We do not specifically test for microbiology. We ensure that our kratom is clear from such contamination due to our thorough sterilization process, that utilizes gamma-radiation to minimize the risk of micro-biological contamination.

Why we take testing so seriously

Kratom is a natural product and natural products can vary. Different harvests, different weather, different soil, different trees, it all has an effect on the final product. Lab testing and homogenization is how we control that variability and deliver consistent quality.

We source directly from certified Indonesian farms, process under strict conditions, test every batch and sterilize before packaging. It is a process we have refined over more than 12 years. This is also why over 7,250 customers have rated us 9.6/10 at ValuedShops. Our kratom reviews speak for themselves.

Want to see our kratom for yourself? Browse our full range of kratom powder, including red kratom, green kratom and white kratom strains. We also have kratom capsules and kratom gummies if you prefer those. Order before 16:00 on weekdays (Friday before 12:00) and we ship the same day.