UKAS-Accredited Labs Explained: Why the Lab Behind a Test Result Matters

A UKAS-accredited lab has been assessed by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service as competent to run specific tests to the international standard ISO/IEC 17025. The key word is specific: accreditation covers only the methods listed on the lab's schedule, so a supplement result is only "UKAS accredited" if that test was within scope.

That distinction is where most supplement marketing gets vague. This guide explains what UKAS accreditation means, what it doesn't, how to check it yourself, and how NovusDNA's own testing lines up. It goes deeper on accreditation than our wider guide to how to verify supplement quality in the UK.

What is UKAS?

UKAS is the UK's sole national accreditation body, appointed by government under the Accreditation Regulations 2009, according to gov.uk. It's a not-for-profit organisation, and there's only one.

Government guidance describes accreditation as "checking the checkers": UKAS doesn't test your supplement, it assesses whether the laboratory doing the testing is competent to do it. That's why it matters when a brand names the lab. NovusDNA, a UK supplement brand making clearly labelled, science-led supplements, has its products tested by Campden BRI, a UKAS-accredited laboratory. For Essential+, NovusDNA's vitamin D3, K2 and magnesium formula, the published testing summary names the lab, its accreditation number and the results. That tells you who tested it; it doesn't mean the product itself is "UKAS approved", because UKAS doesn't approve products.

What does ISO/IEC 17025 actually check?

ISO/IEC 17025 is the international standard for testing and calibration laboratories. It sets requirements for competence, impartiality and consistent operation, according to an IAEA overview of the standard.

In practice, an accredited lab has to show:

1. its staff are technically competent for the tests it runs

2. it's impartial, with no commercial pressure to produce a particular result

3. its methods have been selected, verified and validated

4. it evaluates measurement uncertainty, so a result comes with a known margin

5. its measurements are traceable to recognised reference standards

The ISO puts the purpose simply: the standard lets labs work competently and produce valid results.

Accreditation, certification and "lab tested" aren't the same thing

Four labels get mixed up on supplement packs and websites, and they answer different questions.

UKAS is explicit on the second row. Its guidance for testing laboratories says ISO 9001 doesn't require evaluation of a testing lab's technical competence and shouldn't be treated as an acceptable alternative to ISO/IEC 17025.

On the third row, it's fair to credit brands that use sport certification. Thorne, for example, carries NSF Certified for Sport on many products, which matters if you're a competing athlete. For most UK buyers, the more relevant questions are what's in the capsule and whether it's free of contaminants, and that's what accredited content and safety testing answers. For a broader explanation, see what third-party tested means for supplements.

Why scope is the part that matters most

A lab isn't accredited for everything it does, only for the activities on its schedule. UKAS states this directly: an organisation is only accredited for the activities listed on its schedule.

Each accredited lab has a public schedule of accreditation listing its methods, often tied to particular sample types. A lab might be accredited to test heavy metals by one method but run another test, such as a specific active ingredient, outside its accredited scope. Both results can appear on the same report.

The reporting rules help you tell them apart. Under UKAS rules on using the UKAS symbol, the mark can appear on reports covering accredited activities, and any unaccredited results must be clearly disclaimed. So when you see a certificate, check which results carry the UKAS mark and which are marked as not accredited.

How to check a lab's UKAS accreditation yourself

It takes about five minutes and costs nothing:

1. Get the lab's name from the brand. If a brand won't say who tested its products, that tells you something.

2. Search the UKAS directory. Use UKAS's find an organisation tool and search by name. You'll see the lab's accreditation number and standard.

3. Open the schedule of accreditation. Check the issue date and look for the test methods the brand reports, such as heavy metals or microbiology.

4. Ask for the certificate. Check which results carry the UKAS mark and which are disclaimed as not accredited.

One tool not to use: UKAS's CertCheck covers management system certifications such as ISO 9001, not laboratory test reports.

UKAS accreditation is recognised internationally through mutual recognition arrangements, which supports confidence in accredited testing across borders. Those arrangements don't extend a lab's scope beyond the methods on its schedule.

How NovusDNA's testing lines up

NovusDNA's products are tested by Campden BRI (Chipping Campden) Limited, UKAS accredited testing laboratory No. 1079, to ISO/IEC 17025:2017. The schedule we reviewed (issue 119, dated 13 August 2026) includes methods for heavy metals by ICP-MS (including lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury), Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli, yeasts and moulds, coagulase-positive staphylococci, vitamin D and several B vitamins. Schedules change, so check the current version on the UKAS site.

Here's what that looks like on a real product. The Essential+ testing summary, from analysis in September and October 2025, reports vitamin D3, vitamin K2 and magnesium content, with Salmonella not detected and coagulase-positive Staphylococci, yeast and mould each below 10 cfu/g. Several of those parameters, such as Salmonella and vitamin D, appear on Campden BRI's schedule.

We'll be precise about the limits, because that's the point of this article. Not every result is within accredited scope. Parameters such as vitamin K2, piperine or collagen content need checking against the applicable schedule and certificate before being described as accredited. Campden BRI states that tests outside its UKAS scope run under the same quality system, but they aren't accredited. Full certificates, including methods and scope, are available from info@novusdna.com, so you can check any result yourself.

That's the standard we'd ask you to hold every brand to, including us: name the lab, publish the results, and be clear about which ones are accredited.

FAQ

What does UKAS accredited mean on a supplement?

It means the laboratory that tested the supplement has been assessed by UKAS, the UK's national accreditation body, as competent to run specific tests to ISO/IEC 17025. It doesn't mean the supplement itself is accredited or approved, and it doesn't mean every test on the report is accredited. Only methods on the lab's schedule are covered, and UKAS rules require unaccredited results on a report to be clearly disclaimed.

How do I check if a lab is UKAS accredited?

Search the lab's name in the UKAS "find an organisation" directory. You'll see its accreditation number and standard, and you can open its schedule to see which methods are covered and when it was last issued. Then ask the brand for the certificate and check which results carry the UKAS mark. UKAS's CertCheck tool is for management system certificates, not lab reports, so it won't help here.

Is UKAS accreditation the same as being third-party tested?

Not quite. "Third-party tested" only means someone other than the brand did the testing. UKAS accreditation tells you the lab has been independently assessed as competent for specific methods. A product can be third-party tested by a lab that isn't accredited, or by an accredited lab running a test outside its scope. For more on the difference, see our guide to third-party tested versus self-certified supplements.

Which longevity brands use UK third-party testing?

Few longevity brands publish UK laboratory testing in detail, and many use US laboratories or sport certification programmes instead. NovusDNA uses Campden BRI, a UKAS-accredited UK laboratory (No. 1079), and publishes testing summaries with results on product pages, with full certificates on request. Whichever brand you're considering, ask for the lab's name, its UKAS or equivalent accreditation number, and which results on the certificate fall within accredited scope.

Are all NovusDNA test results UKAS accredited?

No, and no brand's results automatically are. Accreditation applies to specific methods, not every result. Campden BRI's schedule covers methods for heavy metals, key microbiology tests, vitamin D and several B vitamins. For parameters such as vitamin K2, piperine and collagen content, check the specific certificate and the schedule in force at the time of testing. Ask NovusDNA for the relevant certificate at info@novusdna.com and you'll see which results carry the UKAS mark.

UKAS accreditation is one of the most useful quality signals a UK supplement can show, but only when you know what it covers. A UKAS-accredited lab has proven competence for specific methods; the useful questions are which lab, which tests, and which results carry the UKAS mark. Ask any brand those three questions, including us.

When you're ready, you can shop the NovusDNA range, with the testing summary shown on each product page.

This article is for general information. Food supplements should not replace a varied, balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.