[OwnedByJezebel]

They don't add ethoxyquin, and their ingredient suppliers don't add it either. Don't confuse that comforting fact with the current capabilities of laboratory test methods/equipment and the minimum amount of ethoxyquin that those test methods are able to detect. It is two different issues, IMO.

If they are using the most sensitive tests available (that would be the question to ask them), they can't do any better than that when it comes to a laboratory analysis. Should equipment/methods improve and be able to detect even lower amounts, say one in 10 billion (0.000001%) or one in a trillion (0.00000001%), the test result could still never be reported as zero (it would still have to be reported as "less than 0.00000001%" or whatever).

There will never be a test sensitive enough on ANY contaminant that a lab will report as "zero." That doesn't mean that the contaminant is there. It just means that they've done the most rigorous testing possible and can't find any.

Just because they've adopted a standard for ethoxyquin doesn't mean that it is in there, either. You have to have a standard in order to make a judgment, to know whether something passes or fails. Their standard appears to be equal to the very smallest amount that is capable of being detected in their lab tests. That is all they can do (assuming, again, that there aren't better test methods available). They could make the standard lower (say 1ppm instead of 5ppm), but if there aren't test methods that exist anywhere that can detect it at a 1ppm level, then a 1ppm standard is meaningless.

There are contaminant standards on human food ingredients, too -- like heavy metals. Limits are set, and testing has to be done to prove that that the standard is met. If there is a standard, at least you know they are required to test for the contaminant.

OK, so they don't add ethoxyquin and their suppliers don't add it. It isn't naturally occurring so I don't know how it could otherwise get in there. I'm not concerned with the way their report their test results or where they set their standard. (The standard is as low as it can possibly be based on the test capabilities, so if it is picked up at all, the product FAILS). The only question I see is:

Are you using the most sensitive test methods available for picking up ethoxyquin? If not, why not? What kind of results are obtained when you do use the most sensitive method available? (Should be "less than whatever" or "undectable," can never be stated as zero).