You can trust Frontier Co-op products to be the freshest, purest and most sustainably produced. Simply put, quality affects taste and efficacy. We never produce or market products that make empty claims or contain questionable ingredients.
Frontier visits growers all over the world to build quality-conscious relationships. At home, we study cultivation methods for improved quality on our own research labs. Our in-house lab thoroughly inspects each product shipped to us for flavor, color, aroma, moisture and volatile oil content. No irradiated products are accepted. We make sure that just the right parts of each spice have been harvested at exactly peak time for optimal flavor, and actively recruit organic spices. Only products which pass our rigorous testing are approved and released for production and sale to our consumers.
In our warehouses, spices are kept in highly controlled storage conditions, with strict sanitation rules enforced throughout handling, processing and packaging. We maintain climate-controlled storage (70 degrees Fahrenheit and 60% relative humidity) to preserve chemically active plant constituents and keep flavor fresh. We grind cryogenically, with the product frozen at -20 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent the loss of quality which may result from the heat of grinding. We use a sophisticated computerized inventory system that allows any herb or spice, even a minor ingredient in a blend, to be instantly located and traced back to its origin. Spices are then packaged in materials which ensure optimum shelf life and freshness dated for maximum flavor.
Every step of the way, our Quality Assurance team monitors the spices that carry Frontier Co-op’s name, so that when you choose a Frontier Co-op spice, you know it’s the best.
Here are some of the other measures we take to provide you with the best products available:
- HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography) Testing — Measures active constituent levels in herbs.
- Microanalysis — Reveals cellular structure of plants to determine identity and adulteration.
- Microbiological Testing — Tests levels of yeast, mold and bacterial pathogens.
- Organoleptic Testing — Taste, smell and sight tests determine quality and screen out adulterated product.
- No Irradiation or ETO — Frontier Co-op does not sell any products or use any ingredients that have been sterilized by irradiation or ethylene oxide (ETO). We utilize safe and effective steam pasteurization to preserve product quality.
- Allergen Control — Processes are in place to prevent allergen contamination, and allergens are identified on labels if present.
- Highly Qualified Staff — Our product quality is assured by a team of highly trained technicians led by Ravin Donald, Ph.D., Vice President of Quality
