Urban Ice Botanicals is a reliable and reputable supplier of an impressive range of premium Kratom capsules and powder. We use various tools to ensure that our customers get nothing less than the cleanest and purest Kratom products. We follow best practices, adhere to stringent quality checks, and use the most modern and advanced equipment in making our products.

In addition, we also send all our Kratom powders and capsules to an independent, third-party lab for testing while adhering to cGMP (Current Good Manufacturing Practices) outlined by the American Kratom Association. While all of these demanding quality control practices may seem exhaustive, we don’t stop at that. We take even more steps to ensure that the Kratom that makes its way to you from our state-of-the-art cGMP-certified facility is as potent, clean as pure as possible.

The Kratom tree grows naturally outside, making it crucial to ensure that its leaves are healthy and clean for consumption in the chosen format- powder or capsules. Our company has invested heavily in a Kratom treatment process, involving careful screening every one of our Kratom products using a multi-tiered method as soon as we acquire them.

Part of this detailed screening process includes a stringent pasteurization step that few customers know much about. Here we discuss the Kratom pasteurization process, the steps we use, and why it matters in the quality control process overall.

What Is Pasteurization? 

In the year 1860, Louis Pasteur, a French scientist, discovered that he could easily prevent alcoholic beverages such as wine and beer from fermenting abnormally by applying a certain heat level for a specific duration. By following this process, vineyards and breweries could streamline their consumables’ production, and there would be far less wastage of raw material due to spoilage.

It didn’t take long to find that this specific heating process was helpful in the dairy products industry. It was shown that when heat in the 135-150°F range was applied, it was possible to eliminate most of the pathogens. Mycobacterium Tuberculosis was one of the bacteria included in this array of pathogens, and it can potentially cause Tuberculosis in humans. In simple words, pasteurization was nothing less than a revolution in public safety and health. Because of the importance of this development, the process was named after Louis Pasteur, who discovered it, and it is one of the most widely used processes in the food processing industry and others like the Kratom industry.

How Pasteurization Works  

In pasteurization, the application of heat is directed for a preset period. So what makes this such an effective treatment to reduce the presence of pathogens like bacteria in organic products like milk, wine, beer, and Kratom powder?

Understanding More about Enzymes  

All bacteria need enzymes for their essential biological functions. These enzymes are the substances that exist within the cells required for a range of simple cellular activities, including metabolism and respiration. Bacteria can use these enzymes optimally in temperatures in the 40-140°F range. To some extent, this explains why frozen foods (32°F range or lower) are effectively not prone to the development of harmful bacteria.

In temperatures higher than 140 °F (the opposite range), the enzymes in the bacteria go through the process of denaturation. Without discussing in detail what this means, the denatured bacteria become dead bacteria almost immediately, and they are unable to function. It is also why cooking food, and boiling water is a way to ‘clean’ it, making it safer for consumption.

Thermal Heat Treatment Vs. UV Light Exposure   

UV light is used to sterilize surfaces, and it is used for Kratom powder and similar substances. Ultraviolet radiation is highly effective in killing certain types of pathogens and viruses, but it has several limitations.

When UV light hits a surface, it either will reflect or be absorbed by it. If we were to expose a 1kg bag of Kratom to a source of UV light, the radiation would act only on the exterior of the powder and not on any that lies below the surface. To make sure that the UV light sterilizes the Kratom well, it would have to be constantly agitated for hours so that the UV light would act on all of the powder in the bag. This method is just not feasible, and it would be impossible to rely on sterilizing bulk Kratom in this way.

In comparison, thermal radiation works very differently. The heat penetration is much deeper and more effective than UV light penetration. We can also measure the heat using a thermometer. Contrastingly, it is impossible to know what amount of UV radiation has penetrated a specific amount of powdered Kratom. These are the reasons we prefer using heat to reduce the microbial loads in Kratom rather than with Ultraviolet sterilization.

Other Aspects to Consider    

It’s a widely accepted fact that extreme heat effectively kills harmful pathogens, and we have determined that already. However, excessive heat can potentially break down certain vital plant alkaloids such as 7-Hydroxymitragynine and Mitragynine that the Kratom plant contains.

These two principle phytochemicals are responsible for Kratom’s effects, and fortunately, both have far higher tolerance levels than bacteria have. It means that using the 4-step pasteurization process in sterilizing Kratom, as outlined above, doesn’t affect the structure and condition of the most critical alkaloids in the product.

Throughout the 4-step pasteurization process, it’s crucial to ensure that the Kratom powder isn’t burned as it would adversely affect Kratom coloration, smell, and taste. It’s why we use precision ovens that we can control down to the required level. While the pasteurization process would not be as effective if the Kratom isn’t sufficiently hot, excessive heat will only compromise and ruin the Kratom.

Commitment to Quality   

Urban Ice Botanicals follows stringent and comprehensive quality control measures, which we are incredibly proud of. Following these proven and time-tested processes help us ensure that the Kratom capsules and powder we sell are as contaminant-free as possible. The rigorous treatments and battery of tests that we run our Kratom through is our way of ensuring you get the purest and cleanest product you’ll find anywhere.

Quality is something we never compromise on, and this approach has helped us build a solid base of new and returning customers. Our consumers know that they never have to worry about the quality of the Kratom capsules or powders they source from Urban Ice Botanicals.