Is the Amalaki harvested in an environmentally and economically sustainable manner?
The supply of Amalaki found in Zrii comes from a highly respected, multi-generational, family-run business in northern India. The company has provided jobs for native persons for decades in the Himalayan region where the fruit is farmed. Through being wild-crafted, the company utilizes its local contacts to harvest smaller numbers of wild trees on private plots of land. By having access to a vast network of these individual farms, the company is able to supply large quantities of Amalaki in an environmentally and economically sustainable manner. The company considers this wild-crafting process the most responsible farming method. It also leads to the purest Amalaki, which is consistent with the Ayurvedic principles at the foundation of the company.
How do you maintain quality during each harvest?
Zrii undergoes extensive testing measures to ensure consistent quality. Potency and purity are foundational components to the formulation. For this reason, all active botanicals are triple tested: botanicals are tested for microorganisms, pesticides, metals and other measures on the supply side, upon arrival in the US, and lastly as a finished product at the time of production. Advanced flavor technology/diagnostics are also used to ensure consistency in taste.
Is there a special way to harvest the Amalaki fruit?
The Amalaki fruit in Zrii is always hand-picked. Zrii’s supplier of Amalaki plants and picks the fruit in accordance with traditional Ayurvedic practices and seasonal rhythms. The “Zrii: Stars Aligning” DVD, displays a brief clip of Amalaki harvesters performing a small thanksgiving ceremony before hand picking the fruit from the tree.
Where are the seven botanicals grown and harvested?
The five botanicals deriving from the 5,000-year-old system of Ayurveda (amalaki, turmeric, tulsi, haritaki, and ginger) are grown in India. The two botanicals deriving from the 5,000-year-old system of traditional Chinese medicine (schizandra and jujube) are grown in China. Extra attention has been placed on the purity of these Chinese botanicals given recent stories in the news about toxicity in both the Chinese food supply and manufacturing industries.
Are the botanicals in Zrii organic?
Purity and potency are foundational components of Zrii’s formulation. Zrii only selects organically grown and harvested sources of each botanical, and Zrii’s suppliers provide documentation stating their botanicals are free from synthetic pesticides, herbicides, genetically modified ingredients, and other unnatural chemicals.
At this time, USDA guidelines and international regulations prevent Zrii from using the term “organic” in reference to the botanicals in its formulation.
Is Zrii tested for heavy metals and pesticides?
Yes. To back up the claims made with Zrii’s natural ingredients, Zrii conducts ongoing, batch-specific testing for pesticides, heavy metals, and other harmful materials. Zrii adheres to the most stringent heavy metal testing currently required by any state in the United States. Potency and purity are foundational components to the formulation, and Zrii chooses to work with only the highest quality suppliers of botanicals in both India and China.
Zrii is triple-tested for heavy metal and trace mineral contaminants, such as lead, arsenic, and mercury. Botanicals are first tested on the supply side, again upon arrival in the United States, and lastly as a finished product (with the juices) at the time of production. Zrii is also tested for microorganisms, pesticides, and several other contaminants.
Is Zrii pasteurized?
Given the presence of fruit juices, the product has to be pasteurized. Zrii employs a highly advanced flash pasteurization process which heats the drink for a very short period of time to kill any existing microbes. This quick process still preserves the integrity and potency of the active botanicals in the product. Additionally, we have done what few companies have even been able to accomplish—manufacture without the use of preservatives. Due to the negative impact of preservatives, we will continue to provide fresh Zrii with just-in-time inventory.
Does Zrii contain any artificial preservatives?
Given the presence of natural botanical preservatives in Zrii, artificial preservatives are not necessary for increasing the product’s shelf life. In addition, tulsi, amalaki, and turmeric have been studied for their anti-fungal, anti-microbial, and anti-bacterial properties.
