Any updates on the in house testing and HPLC?

Hey! What do you want to know? We are doing all testing in-house now. It's so nice to be able to integrate it into our processes. We have multiple QC checks and sign-offs now, to prevent anyone messing up. That would not be possible without the lab in-house. When a batch comes in, it goes into our quarantine room, is given a batch number and info sheet that goes on the barrel. Then a sample is taken from it, and put into small sealed bags for testing and retention, and an organoleptic test is done, and the notes put into the log. If it passes organoleptic, the samples go to our lab. Then we run it through the testing to make sure it is correct and pure, comparing it to reference standards. Once we verify everything, we sign off on the batch, and the bulk product comes into our storage area, where it is transferred into individual containers with the data sheets on them. For the powders used in our solution production, they are transferred into even smaller vacuum containers, and put into our solution lab.

Then when a compound comes up in our production schedules, it is taken from the storage room, and a powder production tracking sheet is started. We do a second organoleptic test with sign-off, and production begins on the jars. Then once the lot is finished, a supervisor comes to check that the correct container number was used, that everything looks good, and then weigh the jars to ensure everything is in spec. They also take the beginning and ending weight of the container used, and check the logs to make sure everything matches up. They also calculate how much was used, and make sure the total matches what should be in the number of jars produced, and calculate any loss. Then the lot goes to a holding area for the QC manager to come and take a random jar from it. That jar goes to the lab for another FTIR test. Once the test is done, and it is verified nothing is wrong with the powder in that batch, the spectrum is printed off, and placed with the powder production tracking sheet. The QC manager then signs off on the lot, and it goes to be shrink-banded, then put on the shelf.

We also have dividers on the shelf to separate lots, so that we are rotating lots properly. The QC manager also picks random things off the shelf, and send them to the lab for spot checks. They also pull things off if the labels are not straight, if they did not blow off the excess powder from the jars properly, or if the shrink-bands were put on improperly. Ideally that is caught on the final sign-off, before the lot hits the shelves. However, they sometimes find a crooked label or shrinkband that got through, and pull it off the shelf. It's all a very complex process we have setup.

We have HEPA filtered ductless fume hoods in the production areas now, and have an ISO-3 clean room being setup as we speak. We also have plans to add some cool new equipment to test the natural extracts we are doing on Nootropics Depot; like a UV-VIS, NIR, and mass spec. We have come a long way!