Ancient + Brave X Light Labs: What do the Testing Results Mean?

Rigorous third-party testing has always been part of the Brave Standard; our partnership with Light Labs simply allows us to share our quality testing results more transparently than ever before. 

Discover how we test our wellbeing products and what the results mean, as Faye Mutron walks you through how to understand our Light Labs test results.

What is Light Labs and why does it matter?

Light Labs is a consumer-facing transparency platform that publishes independent, third-party test results, making it easy for consumers to see exactly what's really in the products they are buying.

Rather than keeping data quietly behind the scenes, Light Labs brings it directly to our website and updates it every time we test.

It's through Light Labs that we publish our tests for:

+ Microbial purity

+ Heavy metals 

“Rather than producing long lists of unnecessary analyses, we focus on the parameters that matter most for safety and quality.  That means no overwhelming or confusing lists - just clear, meaningful testing for what truly matters in your body,” Dr Jenna Macciochi.

Understanding the results:  Heavy Metals Testing

Arsenic, cadmium, and Mercury are naturally present in the soil. As plants grow, they absorb nutrients from the soil, naturally taking in small amounts of trace elements along the way. As a result, trace levels of elements, like cadmium or lead, can sometimes be detected in everyday foods such as fruit and vegetables. 

While bodies have evolved natural detoxification systems capable of eliminating many environmental compounds, including trace metals, through the liver, it remains important to reduce any unnecessary exposure. One way to do this is by checking that your supplements have been third-party tested.

Our products comply with strict food safety regulations, including Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915, which sets maximum levels for contaminants in food. All Ancient + Brave products are also third-party tested for key heavy metals, including:

+ Lead
+ Cadmium
+ Mercury
+ Arsenic

Where a substance is detected, you'll see this clearly displayed with a green tick. This is your sign that any trace levels present remain well within these scientifically established safety limits, providing an additional layer of reassurance.

Understanding the results: Microbiological Testing

Bacteria can compromise formulas. That's why we hold every product to the highest purity standards.

Our products are tested for key microorganisms, including: 
+ Bacillus cereus: a soil bacterium that can be found on plants and grains
+ Enterobacteriaceae: a family of bacteria used as a general sign of hygiene and handling
+ E. coli: a type of bacteria that can indicate contamination if present
+ Total mould and total yeast: common environmental fungi that can sometimes grow on foods
+ Salmonella: a bacterium routinely checked for to help keep products safe

Microbiological testing helps us monitor for contamination, spoilage and overall product quality. 

Where you see CFU/g on the test result, this stands for colony-forming units per gram - a measure used to estimate how many microorganisms are present in a sample. This helps laboratories assess microbiological quality and ensure levels remain within safe regulatory limits.

Does detected mean unsafe?

Detected simply means that a level has been found in the formula.  

Many naturally occurring elements are found in soil and plant-based ingredients, so these will show up at trace levels in testing. What matters is whether those levels are safe, and that's exactly what we check. 

Comparing our results to everyday foods helps bring perspective to what the numbers actually mean in real life. For example, a typical cup of brown rice naturally contains around 0.1 mg/kg of cadmium, but that doesn’t mean we should remove it from our diets.  

“Seeing a substance listed doesn't mean something is wrong.  It simply means we're showing you everything,” Dr Jenna Macciochi.

Why results may vary slightly

We take care to source the best, most responsibly sourced ingredients from around the world, including whole-root foods, mushrooms and other natural ingredients. These ingredients are sensitive to their environment. Factors such as soil composition, climate, rainfall patterns, and agricultural conditions can all influence the mineral profile of crops, meaning small variations can occur from batch to batch. 

Continuous testing ensures that any natural variation remains well within safe limits, maintaining the quality and safety of every product.

Final thoughts

At Ancient + Brave, testing isn’t just a requirement; it’s a responsibility. We continuously test to ensure every product meets rigorous safety standards. With Light Labs, we’re making that process more transparent than ever, so you can see, understand, and trust the quality behind your choice. We’re here to help too. 

If you’d like help understanding a result, simply reach out to our friendly UK customer care team.