At Hiya, we understand that nothing is more important than safety and quality when it comes to your child's health. As parents ourselves, we deeply care about every single detail, and hold ourselves to the highest standards to ensure our products are safe and healthy for kids.

That's why we continuously collaborate with our supply chain partners to build best-practice quality checks and improvements throughout our production process. We test each lot of product at multiple points along the supply chain. We submit EVERY batch of every product for contaminant testing- including heavy metals and microbials- a practice that helps lead the way in industry transparency. Any levels fall below the most stringent of state standards, including Prop 65, so you can be sure you're always giving your kids products deemed safe and nutritious.

Beyond our products, we also ensure our bottles are safe. We use medical-grade glass and water-based paint to create our bottles, and then third-party lab test the bottles for contaminants like lead and cadmium.

Read on for more details around our quality and safety practices. Got questions? Email us at support@hiyahealth.com.

A Closer Look at Testing

Heavy Metals:

Hiya contracts with qualified 3rd party laboratories who use validated methods to test every batch of every product produced for heavy metals including, lead, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium. The most widely accepted approach for testing elements, whether they are heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury, or other elements such as iron, calcium, or selenium is a technique known as coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (“ICP-MS”)

Inductively Coupled Plasma:

Vitamin samples are digested to ensure their complete decomposition to elemental form. Once digested, samples are injected into an ICP instrument as a plasma that flows past a detector. When the sample passes the detector, the detector will record changes from the baseline signal due to the presence of the sample. These changes, when compared to a standard of known material and concentration can be measured and quantified as long as the signal they create is above the limit of detection for the testing method.

Limit of Detection:

The limit of detection is measured as a shift from a baseline level of the detector with no sample present and each individual element has its own specific limit of detection. In general, to be quantifiable in limit test, such as heavy metals by ICP, each metal must generate a signal that is at least 3 times the signal of the baseline. If the element does not elicit a signal from the detector that is at least 3 times the signal of the baseline noise, then it cannot be detected at a measurable amount by the test. In other words, the limit of detection for each heavy metal that Hiya tests is the lowest quantity or concentration of the metal that can be reliably detected by the testing method used. Method Limits of Detection for Hiya Heavy Metals Testing:

Data reporting:

If there is no signal detected then the laboratory will report the result as “undetected” or as “less than a specification value,” where the specification value is a number that the lab has put into their data software. If there is any signal from the detector that is above the limit of detection the laboratory will be able to report the specific value.

So for the example Certificate of Analysis (“COA”) below - if a laboratory COA reports Lead as “U” (undetected), and taking into consideration the laboratory established limit of detection of lead as 2.1ppb (from above), this specific lab is reporting on its COA that down to a concentration of 2.1 ppb there was no lead detected.

Even where the ICP registers a 'detectable' level that can reported as a specific value, Hiya establishes rigorous specification limits on heavy metals to ensure that no detectable level presents a safety concern.

If any level is above Hiya's established specification levels for the product, then the product will be immediately flagged as out of specification (OOS) and not permitted to be released into distribution.

We Comply with The Most Stringent of Standards

It is well established that heavy metals are naturally and unavoidably found in the soil of the healthiest foods we can eat — including fruits, vegetables, and grains. In other words, heavy metals occur naturally in the environment in the soil, air, and water. You'll often find heavy metals in a wide variety of some of the healthiest foods, including spinach, carrots, beets, and so much more. So it is natural that many of the healthiest foods you eat will include heavy metals.

To ensure adequate safety, federal and state regulators establish limits on heavy metals in packaged foods so that any detectable levels are so low so as not to post a health risk to the consumer.

Currently the most stringent limits on heavy metals in consumer products mandated in the US are set by California's Proposition 65 rule. Prop 65 has mandated the above limits for heavy metals exposure. Prop 65 limits are established to reflect those extremely low level detectable levels that do not pose a health risk.

Hiya follows rigorous standards to ensure that any heavy metals are completely undetectable or never more than the de minimis detectable level established under Prop 65's rigorous standards.

In addition to heavy metals testing, finished products are rigorously tested for purity and potency, with detailed Certificates of Analysis (COAs) maintained for every batch. Hiya also conducts visual inspections of all products at our warehouse and performs additional heavy metal testing as needed. Our commitment to safety extends to compliance with California Prop 65, which sets the most stringent nationwide rules for product safety.

Now that you have learned about detection limits in testing and specification limits required for Hiya's products, here is a look at a real third-party lab test, performed on Hiya's products:

We Track Results Regularly

By selling exclusively direct-to-consumer, we can track every batch (which is practically never done) and can review individual test results upon request. If you want confirmation of your unique batch's third-party lab tests, simply email support@hiyahealth.com.

Above are batch results from our third-party testing facility that demonstrate how all relevant levels meet even the strictest federal and state standards.

This level of detail leads the way in our industry and demonstrates our unwavering commitment to the safety and quality of our products. We don't just meet legal requirements - we exceed them. Our commitment to safety and quality is at the core of everything we do, ensuring that every product we deliver is safe, effective, and of the highest quality.

Our Rigorous Quality Standards:

• Overseen by our dedicated Head of Product
• Governed by detailed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
• Continuous collaboration with supply chain partners for quality checks and improvements

Manufacturing Excellence:

• On-site raw material testing
• Finished product testing for purity and potency
• Partnerships exclusively with GMP-certified manufacturers
• Detailed Certificates of Analysis (COAs) are maintained for every batch

Third-Party Testing:

• Every lot tested by independent, reputable labs
• Comprehensive screening for heavy metals and microbial contamination

Additional Safety Measures:

• Visual inspection of all products at our warehouse
• Compliance with California Prop 65, the most stringent nationwide rules

Bottle Testing

As a part of our Hiya Promise, we test not only our vitamins but also our bottles- we test through reputable third-party labs to ensure that your experience is not just fun but also completely safe. We use medical-grade bottles made of borosilicate glass, which is proven to be non-toxic and free of harmful chemicals like BPA or lead. For paint, we use a “water-based” paint (distinct from solvent-based or lead-based paint), which mitigates not only health concerns but is also better for the environment.

Then, our bottles (interior and exterior) are rigorously tested by qualified third-party labs using scientifically-validated methods (like ICP-OES) including testing for contaminants like lead and cadmium. We follow Consumer Product Safety Commission-approved methods for testing, and consistently meet all regulatory standards for our bottle testing to ensure the absolute best experience for Hiya families.

All About Hiya Bottles

Why does Hiya use refillable bottles?

• Our vitamin bottles are designed for maximum potency - we use materials that are ideal for storing vitamins effectively, especially compared to plastic. In addition, when a parent helps a child decorate their empty bottle, a child begins to associate health with positive feelings, setting up kids for a lifetime of healthy habits. We also believe in sustainability, and our refillable bottles help to limit waste.

What materials are Hiya's bottles made from?

• We use high quality medical-grade glass bottles for our vitamins. We choose borosilicate glass in part because it's proven to be non-toxic and free of harmful chemicals like BPA or lead, making it the best container for potency, shelf-life, and safety.

What kind of coating do you use on the exterior of the bottles?

• To make our bottles fun and engaging, the exterior is coated in a water-based paint that comes in various colors depending on the vitamin you choose. In addition, we do not use any paint for the interior or lip of our bottles, meaning these parts are not coated.

Since the bottles are painted, should I be concerned about lead?

• No, lead-containing paint has been banned for use in consumer products for decades under rules established by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Lead-containing paint includes pigments such as lead-chromate, lead oxide, and lead carbonate. Since the ban, this type of paint has been broadly discontinued for US consumer products. As with any any reputable company, Hiya does not, has not, and would not ever allow for lead paint in its products. Instead, and consistent with industry norms and regulatory requirements, Hiya uses a water-based paint (distinct from solvent-based or lead-based paint), which mitigates not only health concerns but is also better for the environment.

Has Hiya done lead testing on its bottles?

• Yes. At Hiya, our bottles are rigorously tested by qualified third-party labs using scientifically-validated methods including testing for contaminants like lead and cadmium. Testing protocol is based on CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) approved methods, such as Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES).
• We third-party test not only the vitamins themselves but also our bottles (interior and exterior) to ensure they are safe. To be clear, we conduct testing on the glass bottle (including the exterior, the interior, and the lip that may come into contact with any vitamins) to obtain third-party validated testing results to test for lead. Additionally, because the bottles are touched, the exterior coating of the bottles has also been tested. This testing dates back to paint used since we first started Hiya.

Why does the shade of my bottle look slightly different than others?

• While our specifications are always the same, there can be very slight natural variation in the finished bottle. Color can vary slightly based on unique production runs and does not mean a different material was used.

Can my kids touch the bottles?

• We send stickers so parents can help kids decorate empty bottles and begin to associate health with positivity. However, once the product is filled with vitamins, please always handle your bottle directly to reduce any risk of your child accidentally consuming vitamins without supervision. Remember the bottles are not toys and should always be stored safely and securely away from children.

What else should I know about how to handle/store the bottles?

• While we always ensure that our products are safe and efficacious when they arrive at your doorstep, since our bottles are refillable, it is also important to ensure that you follow proper storage instructions and the directions for use. As you would with any food, store your products in a cool dry place for best quality and keep out of reach of children. Always follow the directions for use when consuming the products. And if you need a new bottle for any reason, just let us know - we'll send you a new one.