A Field Guide to [Type Of Chinese Herbs]: specs, sourcing, and what buyers actually ask

If you’ve spent time in TCM procurement, you know trends shift fast: cleaner labels, traceability, and lab-verified markers are the new baseline. In fact, demand for decoction pieces and standardized extracts has risen sharply the past two seasons, especially in clinics and nutraceutical blends. Below is what I look for when vetting suppliers of [Type Of Chinese Herbs]—with the practical specs buyers ask for, not just pretty catalog shots.

Vendor highlight: Tradional Chinese Medicines from HEX (Origin: NO.12, XIJIAN STREET, SHIJIAZHUANG CITY, HEBEI PROVINCE, CHINA). I visited once—small detail, but their low-temp dryers were actually calibrated properly, which is rarer than it should be.

Industry snapshot

Three big currents: sulfur-free processing (or strictly controlled SO₂), quantifiable actives (e.g., Astragaloside IV), and Europe-ready compliance on pesticides. To be honest, small lots still fail for aflatoxin and cadmium, so testing is king.

Core specifications (buyers’ cheat sheet)

Item	Spec (≈/typical; real‑world use may vary)
Product Name	Tradional Chinese Medicines (decoction pieces & extracts)
Representative SKUs	Huangqi (Radix Astragali), Danggui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis), Gancao (Radix Glycyrrhizae), Ren Shen (Panax ginseng), Ju Hua (Chrysanthemum)
Cut size / form	Whole root; slices 2–3 mm; granules; 5:1 & 10:1 extracts
Moisture	≤12%
Heavy metals (ICP‑MS, USP <233>)	Pb ≤3 ppm; Cd ≤1 ppm; As ≤2 ppm; Hg ≤0.1 ppm
Pesticides	Compliant with EU MRLs/EPA limits (multi-residue GC‑MS/MS, LC‑MS/MS)
Microbial (USP <61>/<62>)	TPC ≤1×10⁵ cfu/g; YM ≤1×10³ cfu/g; E. coli absent/g; Salmonella absent/25 g
SO₂ (if applicable)	≤50 mg/kg or sulfur‑free on request
Markers (examples)	Astragaloside IV ≥0.2% (HPLC); Ginsenosides (Rg1+Rb1+Re) ≥5% (HPLC)
Shelf life	≈24–36 months, cool-dry, ≤25°C, RH ≤60%

Process flow and QA

Materials: GAP-like farm lots + audited wildcrafted parcels. Methods: sorting → washing → low‑temp drying (≤60°C) → slicing/cutting → optional honey‑frying (for [Type Of Chinese Herbs] like Gancao) → steam sterilization (or irradiation ≤10 kGy on request) → metal detection → packing.

Testing: ChP/USP ID (TLC/HPTLC), actives by HPLC/UPLC, ICP‑MS metals per USP <233>, pesticides per EU 396/2005, microbes per USP <61>/<62>, aflatoxin per EC 1881/2006, moisture Karl Fischer. Recent batch data I saw: Astragalus moisture 9.8%, Pb 0.62 ppm, total pesticide residues ND, TPC 3.0×10⁴ cfu/g—clean.

Applications and advantages

Use cases: clinic decoctions, OEM granules, tea sachets, tinctures, gummies (yes, really), and functional beverages. Advantages folks mention: consistent slice thickness (extractability), traceable lots, and realistic MOQs for pilot runs.

Vendor comparison (quick take)

Criteria	HEX (Tradional Chinese Medicines)	Trader A	Processor B
Traceability	Field-to-lot QR, farm docs on file	COO only	Batch-level
Certifications	GMP, ISO 22000, HACCP; Halal/Kosher optional	GMP self‑declaration	GMP + Organic line
Customization	Cut size, roasting, 5:1–20:1 extracts	Limited	Advanced extracts
Lead time	≈12–18 days	≈25–30 days	≈15–20 days
3rd‑party tests	SGS/Eurofins on request	COA only	Routine SGS

Customization menu

Cutting (2–6 mm), roasting styles (honey‑fried, wine‑processed where pharmacopeial), granulation 20–40 mesh, standardized actives, sterilization method, private‑label packs (50 g–25 kg). For [Type Of Chinese Herbs] with volatile oils (e.g., Danggui), ask for ≤50°C drying and aroma retention tests.

Quick case notes

• EU tea brand: SO₂‑free Chrysanthemum passed 430‑pesticide screen; sensory score improved (panel n=12).
• US supplement startup: Astragalus extract 10:1 with Astragaloside IV spec met; launch in 9 weeks, MOQ 300 kg.
• Hospital TCM pharmacy: uniform 3 mm slices cut decoction time by ≈12% (internal note, small sample).

Compliance and standards

Standards referenced: Chinese Pharmacopoeia (ID, purity), USP botanical chapters, Codex HACCP, ISO 22000 FSMS. Many customers say documentation speed matters as much as COAs—have your pesticide screen and ICP‑MS ready at PO stage.

Authoritative citations

1. Chinese Pharmacopoeia Commission. Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China, latest ed.
2. United States Pharmacopeia. USP <61>, <62>, <232>, <233> (Microbiology, Elemental Impurities).
3. European Commission. Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 on pesticide MRLs.
4. ISO 22000: Food safety management systems—Requirements for any organization in the food chain.