Packaging & Shipping Guidelines

Please use these guidelines to send your oil and fat sample(s) to the lab for testing to the shipping address shown in the Packaging Instructions, below.

Reminders:

You will send one sample vial per distinct oil or fat to be tested.

  • If you source the same type of oil or fat from two or more different suppliers, consider each supplier’s oil or fat as a distinct entry when counting the total number of unique oils. (For example, if your company uses avocado oil from two different wholesale suppliers and also uses extra virgin olive oil from two different wholesale suppliers, the total number of distinct oil or fat samples will be four.)

Please contact us immediately before sending samples if you are unsure about anything or have questions.

Packaging Materials
  • One 20 ml glass vial for each distinct oil or fat sample
  • Funnel to fill vials (use one funnel per oil or fat sample, or hand wash with mild soap, rinse, and dry between each sample)
  • Sticker or label to write the sample ID of each oil or fat on the vial for each sample
  • Two resealable plastic zip-type bags for each distinct oil or fat sample (sample vials will be double-bagged)
  • A fine black permanent marker to write the sample ID # (from printable sample submission form) on each vial and the name of each wholesale oil brand and oil or fat type on bag
  • Bubble wrap or styrofoam sheet to protect samples in transit
  • Shipping box (USPS, UPS, Fed-ex, or DHL; tracking strongly recommended but not required)
  • The printable sample submission form you received from us upon completing the Application – print and include in shipping box. You will also reference this form while labeling vials and bags.

Note: We are happy to send you these materials upon request. Please ensure you notify us of the number of distinct oil and fat samples you will be providing.

Packaging Instructions

We recommend that you print out the sample submission form prior to packing your samples and double-check to ensure the information is accurate. It is extremely important that you correct any mistakes on the form and notify us if necessary, as the lab test results are only as accurate as the information provided.

Hand-write “Packed by: (first and last name of packer)” and “Packed on: (today’s date)” on it and include the sample submission form in the shipping box.

Fill glass vials carefully and label samples clearly

  • Please fill each 20 ml vial as fully as possible (the less remaining headspace the better)
  • For fats that are solid at room temperature (e.g. coconut oil, butter, tallow, etc.), you may find it works best to use a small spoon or spatula rather than a funnel to get the sample into the vial. For solid fats, bathing the sealed container in warm water or holding it under running hot water will also make it easier to fill the vial. Try to get the vial as full as possible. 
  • Write the appropriate Sample ID # (found on the printable lab submission form) on the white adhesive label in fine black permanent marker, then affix the label to the sample vial before filling.
  • As you double-bag each sample vial, write both the name of the wholesale oil or fat brand and the type of oil or fat (e.g. “Acme Olive Oil”, “Generic Brand Avocado Oil”, “Local Brand Butter”, etc.) in fine black permanent marker on the white block area of the outer resealable bag for all samples. 

Package samples securely

  • Double-bag each sample by itself (one glass vial per two bags) with minimal air in the bags
  • Wrap each glass sample vial and accompanying bags in either a bubble wrap or a styrofoam sheet to prevent breakage. 
  • All remaining space in the box should be filled (e.g. with newspaper) and the box should be labeled “FRAGILE.”

Ship samples promptly

  • Test results will follow a 10 business day turnaround
  • If your sample arrives before 10:30 am, that day will count as Day 1. After 10:30 am, the following day counts as Day 1. Do not ship samples to arrive on a weekend (e.g. shipping on a Friday for overnight delivery) or national holiday as the laboratory is closed.
  • For perishable samples such as butter or tallow, ship overnight in a cooler or styrofoam-insulated box with ice packs or dry ice for a morning delivery. 
Sample Shipping Label

Shipping label details:

From:

Seed Oil Free Alliance, LLC.

C/o [Your company name and return address]


To:

Attn: Lab Sample

Seed Oil Free Alliance

C/o Anresco Laboratories 

1375 Van Dyke Avenue

San Francisco, CA 94124

Next Steps After Test Results

You’ll be notified as soon as we receive the lab test results, which consist of technical data that must then be interpreted to reach a verdict as to oil purity. Please allow up to 3 business days for interpretation of the analysis results.

When the interpretation is ready, we will provide you with a full report for each sample including technical details and explanations of the findings.  While lab results generally allow for a very high level of certainty, we use a “preponderance of evidence” threshold (as described in the Seed Oil Free Certification Standards) for certifying oils as pure, which means that based on available evidence, a given sample is determined to either be “more likely pure than adulterated” or “more likely adulterated than pure” for the certification process.

If all of your company’s submitted oil and fat samples are determined to be pure, you will progress to the final stage of the licensing process, which includes debiting the licensing fee, determining a timeline for Seal implementation, and any related assistance we can provide to your company for implementation (package design discussion and graphic design assistance, discussion or approval of any disclaimers if needed, copywriting assistance for telling your brand’s Seed Oil Free Story, etc.).

Remediation of Adverse Findings

If one or more of the oil and fat samples you submitted are flagged as adulterated, we will explore the following remediation options with you: 

  • Switching to a different wholesale supplier for the affected oils or fats, generally a recommended supplier with a reduced testing fee
  • In some cases, additional testing methods may be available as part of an appeal process if you believe the findings were incorrect.
  • For CPG brands, moving forward with certification and Seed Oil Free Certified Seal licensing for any of your products that use exclusively those oils or fats determined to be pure is an option while we continue to work together with you to remediate any issues around adulterated oils or fats.
  • If you decide not to move forward with remediation and choose not to become Seed Oil Free Certified, you may rest assured that our findings will remain confidential.

Please remember that the lab test results are covered by mutual nondisclosure agreement (MNDA). With respect for your confidentiality, the Seed Oil Free Alliance will under no circumstances share the nature of adverse test results from our testing process associated with your company with other parties.

The MNDA also applies to certain confidential aspects of our certification and testing processes, including but not limited to the details of lab testing, the name of our third-party lab, and any technical analysis results, interpretation reports, findings, and related discussions. 

If our testing process reveals that your company has purchased adulterated oils or fats, you may understandably wish to pursue remedies with the manufacturer or distributor of these fats, but under no circumstances may you share the above-mentioned details, documents, or related discussions with manufacturers or wholesale distributors or any other party for this purpose, nor may you share the fact that your engagement with our organization revealed to you that the oils or fats were found to be adulterated. Instead, should this situation occur, we are willing to assist you with an alternative solution that will provide factual findings of adulteration you can use to pursue remedies, and which are not associated with our organization or the testing lab used for certification purposes.