HOW WE ASSESS AUTHENTICITY
How We Assess Authenticity
Our visual checks draw on field experience and guidance from Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners.
How we assess whole specimens
Our visual authenticity checks draw on field experience and guidance from Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners.
Visual inspection can help assess a whole specimen, but appearance alone cannot provide absolute species authentication.
What we examine
- Body shape and caterpillar segmentation
- Color and texture
- Head and body transition and fungal stalk
- Smell and flexibility or brittleness
- Internal structure when a damaged or broken specimen can be examined
The species label is Ophiocordyceps sinensis (formerly Cordyceps sinensis). A visual assessment has limits. Ask about the particular product and documentation you require before purchase.