Why this matters more for fruit powders than for most ingredients
Drying concentrates everything in the fruit — including what you do not want. A powder made from ten kilos of fresh fruit carries the contaminant load of ten kilos of fresh fruit in one kilo of powder. That is why a botanical ingredient that looks fine as fresh produce can fail a finished-product specification once dried, and why the powder's own limits matter more than the raw material's reputation.
1. Heavy metals — ask for the number and the method
Lead and cadmium are the two that decide most qualifications, particularly for supplements and anything aimed at children. The number alone is not enough: ask which method produced it. ICP-MS is the reference technique, and a credible COA will name it (for example, USP <730>). A result without a method cannot be compared between suppliers.
A workable benchmark for a fruit powder — and the specification we publish for our own freeze-dried açaí and acerola:
| Parameter | Limit | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Lead (Pb) | ≤ 0.25 mg/kg (ppm) | ICP-MS, USP <730> |
| Cadmium (Cd) | ≤ 0.25 mg/kg (ppm) | ICP-MS, USP <730> |
| Arsenic (inorganic) | ≤ 0.75 mg/kg (ppm) | ICP-MS, USP <730> |
| Mercury (Hg) | ≤ 0.75 mg/kg (ppm) | ICP-MS, USP <730> |
2. Ethylene oxide — the one that still causes recalls
Ethylene oxide (EtO) is a sterilant used on some spices, seeds and botanicals. It is not permitted for food use in the European Union, and EU enforcement of EtO residues has driven a long run of product withdrawals across ingredients that buyers assumed were low-risk. The exposure is asymmetric: the recall lands on the brand that sold the finished product, not on the supplier three steps upstream.
The protection is simple and costs nothing to ask for: a written statement that the product is not treated with ethylene oxide and not irradiated, on the spec sheet itself rather than in an email. Ours states exactly that. If a supplier will not put it on the TDS, treat that as the answer.
3. Pesticide residues — "organic" is not a test result
Organic certification governs how the crop was grown; it is not a residue analysis of the lot in your warehouse. Both matter, and they answer different questions. Ask for pesticide residues by QuEChERS — the standard multi-residue screen — alongside the organic certificate, not instead of it.
4. Microbiology — with methods, and with the pathogens named
A usable microbiological specification names the organism, the limit and the method. Total plate count ≤ 10,000 CFU/g, yeasts and moulds ≤ 1,000 CFU/g and total coliforms ≤ 100 CFU/g are reasonable for a dried fruit powder, with Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes negative and the FDA BAM chapter cited for each.
One caution worth knowing: some suppliers reach low counts by treating the powder. If the microbiology looks unusually clean, ask how — which brings you back to the EtO and irradiation question above.
The five questions to send with your next RFQ
- What are your heavy-metal limits, and by which method?
- Is the product treated with ethylene oxide or irradiated? Is that stated on the TDS?
- Are pesticide residues screened by QuEChERS, and can I see a recent COA?
- Does your microbiological spec name the method for each result?
- Does the organic certificate scope list the exact SKU I am buying — and can I verify it in a public database?
Any supplier worth qualifying answers all five in one email. Ours are published: see the limits for freeze-dried açaí and acerola powder, our EU organic page with the control body code, or download the 2026 Sourcing & Compliance Guide.
General information for sourcing and QA teams, not regulatory advice. Confirm current limits for your market and product category with your own regulatory function.