Our Kava Is Safe! Here’s How We Know
At Kalm with Kava, your health and safety are our top priorities. Our team goes above and beyond to provide the highest quality kava through sustainable sourcing, sterilization, lab testing, and proper facilities management. We guarantee our premium kava products check every box to satisfy even the pickiest of consumers.
We believe in transparency and accountability, which is why we provide detailed information about our sourcing practices, safety protocols, and testing procedures. This allows you to make an informed decision about the kava products you consume. Our commitment to quality and safety is unwavering, and we are dedicated to providing you with the best kava experience possible.
To put a name to the process, we have dubbed our comprehensive Quality Assurance (QA) program and list of kava standards the Kalm Standards. The Kalm Standards is a symbol of our commitment to quality and safety. It represents the extensive efforts we put into sourcing, processing, and testing our kava products to ensure they meet the highest standards. This seal is your assurance that you are consuming a product that has undergone rigorous scrutiny and is safe for you and your family.
What do our Kalm Standards include? We know our customers only deserve the best, we double and triple check each of these factors with all of our products:
- Kava source and origin
- Rigorous safety testing measures
- Thorough quality assurance checks
- How and where the kava is packaged
By taking into account each of these factors, we provide our customers with only the best kava products that they know they can trust for safety, quality, and reliability. Curious about what each of these kava standards look like in application? Explore each step of our Kalm Standards below and learn more about the kava standards and quality assurance processes we put each and every product through.
Understanding Kalm Standards: Kava Standards & Quality Process
1. Where Does Kalm with Kava’s Kava Come From?
Sustainably Sourced Kavas from the South Pacific
We take pride in sustainably sourcing kava directly from farmers throughout the South Pacific. By establishing direct relationships with these farmers on the islands, we ensure equitable trade practices and sustainable farming methods. This not only supports local communities but also guarantees that the kava we source is of the highest quality, grown and harvested with care and respect for tradition.
Our commitment to sustainable sourcing begins with selecting the right partners. We choose farmers who adhere to traditional farming practices that have been passed down through generations. These methods not only preserve the integrity and potency of the kava but keep the environmental impact minimal. Also, these standards help direct more profits to the people who cultivate the land, supporting these local farmers and their community.
We visit the farms regularly to maintain a close relationship with producers and farmers. These visits allow us to see firsthand the conditions in which the kava we source is grown and harvested and confirm our standards are consistently met. This direct involvement also helps us support the local economies by providing fair wages and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.
Through these efforts, we are able to offer kava that is not only safe and high-quality but also responsibly sourced. This means you can enjoy our products with the knowledge that you are supporting sustainable farming practices and the well-being of communities across the South Pacific.
2. Has Our Kava Undergone Safety Testing?
Rigorous Safety Standards: HACCP, cGMP, and Third-Party Audits
Our facilities operate under stringent safety protocols, including Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) and Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMP). To maintain these high standards, we undergo annual audits by independent third-party organizations to align our processes and facilities with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) specifications. This rigorous oversight helps us consistently deliver safe, reliable products to our customers.
HACCP is a systematic preventive approach to food safety that addresses physical, chemical, and biological hazards as a means of prevention rather than finished product inspection. By identifying critical control points throughout the production process, we can implement measures to reduce risks and ensure our kava products’ safety. This proactive approach helps us identify potential hazards before they become issues, guaranteeing our products’ safety from the start.
CGMP refers to the Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulations enforced by the FDA. These guidelines provide a framework for verifying that our products are consistently produced and controlled according to quality standards. Compliance with CGMP regulations confirms the identity, strength, quality, and purity of our kava products. This involves everything from the cleanliness of our facilities to the training of our staff and the documentation of our processes.
In addition to our internal protocols, we undergo annual third-party audits. These audits provide an objective assessment of our facilities and processes to make sure we meet or exceed industry standards. The auditors review our HACCP and CGMP plans, inspect our facilities, and verify our compliance with FDA regulations. This external validation provides an additional layer of assurance that our kava products are safe and of the highest quality.
3. What Quality Assurance is Done on Our Kava?
Sterilization for Safety
We employ advanced sterilization procedures to ensure our kava products stay free from harmful contaminants like E. coli and Salmonella. Our methods include:
- Controlled heat treatments
- Humidity regulated drying
- Rigorous cleaning protocols
- Proper storage of treated products
These steps guarantee that every batch of kava is safe for consumption, providing you with peace of mind with every sip.
Controlled heat treatments involve using precise temperatures to kill harmful bacteria and pathogens without compromising the quality of the kava. This method is effective in keeping our products safe for consumption while maintaining their natural flavor and potency. The heat treatment process is carefully monitored and controlled to make sure it is effective in eliminating contaminants without affecting the beneficial properties of the kava.
Comprehensive Contaminant Testing
Before our kava products reach you, they undergo extensive testing for a wide range of contaminants, including:
- Heavy metals
- Yeasts and molds
- Mycotoxins
- E. coli
- Salmonella
Our third party laboratory facilities and experienced technicians ensure that only the purest, safest kava products make it to our shelves.
Testing for heavy metals is crucial because these substances can be harmful if consumed in large quantities. We test for metals such as lead, mercury, and cadmium so our products meet stringent safety standards. This testing is conducted using advanced techniques such as inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), which allows for precise and accurate detection of trace amounts of heavy metals.
Yeasts and molds can also pose a risk to the safety and quality of our kava products. We conduct microbiological testing to detect and quantify any yeast or mold present in our products. This helps us keep our kava is free from harmful microorganisms that could cause spoilage or pose a health risk.
Mycotoxins are toxic compounds produced by certain types of molds. These toxins can be harmful if consumed, so it is essential to test for their presence in our kava products. We use advanced analytical methods such as liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to detect and quantify mycotoxins, verifying that our products are safe for consumption.
E. coli and Salmonella are harmful bacteria that can cause serious illness if ingested. We conduct rigorous microbiological testing to confirm that our kava products are free from these pathogens. This testing involves using methods such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect the presence of bacterial DNA, providing accurate and reliable results. It’s important to test specifically for Shiga Toxin-producing E. Coli to prevent serious illness as well as general E. Coli and coliform levels to further ensure that the kava is uncontaminated.
By conducting comprehensive testing for these and other contaminants, we can keep our kava products safe and high quality. Our commitment to rigorous testing and quality control helps us maintain the trust and confidence of our customers. You can view our test results here.
4. What is the Packaging & Shipment Process Like for our Kava?
Strict Cleaning Protocols to Protect Products and Customers
In addition to our sterilization methods, we implement rigorous cleaning protocols throughout our facilities. This includes regular cleaning and sanitizing of all equipment and surfaces, as well as strict hygiene practices for our staff. By maintaining a clean and sanitary environment, we can prevent the introduction and spread of contaminants, ensuring our kava products remain safe and pure from production to packaging.
Below are the contaminant limits we set for our Kalm Standards. All kava shipments are kept in our quarantine area until we can confirm via testing that the kava is below the determined limits. The limits are established based on information from United States Pharmacopeia (USP) and American Herbal Products Association (AHPA). You can compare these limits to our publicly available Certificate of Analysis (COA) to better understand the results.
Kalm Standards: Contaminant Limits for Kava
| Analysis: Microbial | Limit: (cfu/g) PPM | Analysis: Aflatoxins | Limit: (ug/kg) PPB | Analysis: Elemental Contaminants | Limit (ug/g) PPM |
| Aerobic Count | <10,000,000 | B1 | <20 | Arsenic | <6 |
| Yeast and Mold | <10,000 | B2 | <20 | Cadmium | <2 |
| Salmonella Spp | Negative | G1 | <20 | Lead | <2 |
| Shiga Toxin-Producing E. Coli | Negative | G2 | <20 | Mercury | <6 |
| Total E. Coli | <100 | Sum of B1, B2, G1, G2 | <20 | ||
| Total Coliforms | <30,000 | Ochratoxin A | <20 | ||
| Staphylococcus epidermidis | <10 |
That’s the Kalm Standards Seal of Approval!
By adhering to these rigorous standards and procedures, we can confidently assure you of our kava’s safety. When you see the Kalm Standards seal of approval, you know that the kava in your bag is of the highest quality, ethically sourced, thoroughly tested, and safely prepared for your enjoyment.
Thank you for choosing Kalm with Kava. Enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing your kava is safe, pure, and of the finest quality. With the Kalm Standards seal of approval, you can trust that you are getting a product that has been carefully crafted and rigorously tested to meet the highest standards.
