At Hekate, we are committed to providing premium quality functional mushrooms for cognitive and physical performance. We're proud to say that our functional mushrooms products are now NSF Certified for Sport®! We sat down with Michael Loreto M.Sc., our Product Expert, to discuss what it takes to be NSF Certified for Sport®.
Q: What is NSF Certified for Sport?
Michael: NSF International's Certified for Sport® program is a program that verifies that products contain no banned substances and meet strict safety standards so that athletes can compete at their best
Certified for Sport® is widely recognized by professional athletes, coaches, and trainers. The certification is taken so seriously that many athletes won't even touch sports supplements that aren't NSF Certified for Sport® to make sure they have complete peace of mind.
Q: Is It Hard to Get Certified?
Michael: Yes, but it was worth it! To become certified, products must go through strict testing and review by NSF's expert staff. The process is long and thorough, but it ensures our products are NSF Certified for Sport®, a significant step in providing athletes and high-performance seekers with the highest quality products.
Q: Why Did We Choose the NSF Certification?
Michael: NSF International's Certified for Sport® program is voluntary, and companies are not required to get their products certified. At Hekate, we want our customers to know we take every possible measure to ensure our products are of the highest quality and safe for athletes to consume. So we decided to go through the certification process for our functional performance mushroom products.
In addition, we want athletes to know that they can trust our products to help them perform at their best. So whether you're training for a marathon or just trying to improve your overall wellness, our mushroom blend can help you achieve your goals.
Q: What Are the Steps to Being NSF Certified for Sport?
Michael: Here's an overview of getting NSF Certified for Sport® and our products certified. This helps understand the importance of the NSF certification and what makes a product safe for athletes to consume.
Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) Registration
Registration includes:
- Audits of all production facilities that manufacture, package, warehouse, or distribute dietary supplements or functional foods
- Review of quality control testing procedures for raw materials and finished products
- Review of maintenance, housekeeping, cleaning, and sanitization procedures
- Review of sourcing and traceability procedures
- Assessment of training and qualification programs
- Review of internal SOPs
- Review of product recall procedures
Contents Tested & Certified Certification (third party lab tested)
Our products are US grown, manufactured in Canada, and third-party-lab tested to offer the highest quality product.
- Annual laboratory testing and analysis
- Label content verification
- Contaminants
- Microbiological and heavy metals
- Pesticides/herbicides
- Protein and caffeine verification
- Disintegration testing
- Ongoing monitoring
- Review of formulation/supplier changes by NSF experts, including documentation and tested if justified.
- NSF auditor review and confirmation of formulation at future GMP audits
- Ongoing annual testing of the product for compliance
Certified for Sport® Certification
We go through banned substance testing, which includes:
- Drugs of abuse
- Anabolic agents
- Diuretics
- Beta-2 agonists
- Masking agents
- Hormone antagonists
- Hormone and metabolic modulators
- SARMs
- Growth hormone-releasing peptides
- Stimulants
- Beta-blockers
Q: What Else Are We Doing?
Michael: Besides being NSF Certified for Sport®, we're also giving back to our planet. We are an official partner of 1% for the Planet. 1% for the Planet is dedicated to tackling the most pressing environmental issues. We rely on our approved nonprofit partners' expertise to implement the below-proven solutions.
Food Solutions
- Adult Education: Environmental education specifically targeted an adult audience.
- Biodiversity and Habitat: Protecting the variability of life on earth in service of healthy ecosystems and our planet.
- Local Agriculture and Food Access: Raising and providing access to sustainable, healthy foods from local sources in urban and rural communities.
- Sustainable Farming Practices: Researching and producing food, fiber, or other plant or animal products using techniques that protect the environment.
Bottom Line
Are you interested in learning more about our NSF certification? Then, check out the full interview with Product Expert Michael here.
If you're ready to shop sustainably with our mushrooms performance mushrooms. Visit our website and check out our NSF Certified for Sport® products, so you add a dose of #CultivateGreat to your daily routine.
References
https://hekate.com/blogs/functional-mushrooms-benefits-and-recipes/hekate-is-nsf-certified-for-sport