Independent lab test — batch 1761 — retail sachets
Nitro-Tech was questioned.
We tested our own stock.
The tested batch passed.
After overseas social-media claims questioned Nitro-Tech’s protein content, Xplosiv sent sealed retail stock to Eurofins for independent testing. The tested batch delivered 29.4 g corrected protein — versus a 30 g label claim.
Four sealed retail sachets — Eurofins accredited lab — ISO 8968-1:2014. Every step shown, every number sourced.
Context
Why this test exists
Overseas social-media posts questioned Nitro-Tech’s protein content. Xplosiv tested the retail stock it sells — independently, transparently.
In 2025, overseas social-media posts claimed Nitro-Tech contained less protein than its 30 g label claim.
Later reporting raised concerns about the original claim — including missing report details, chain of custody, and product authenticity.
Rather than rely on social-media posts or manufacturer assurances, Xplosiv bought sealed retail sachets from its own supply chain and sent them to an accredited lab. Product and sample details are in the “What we tested” section below.
We published the full result — every number, the lab report, and the working.
What we tested
The tested product, identified
Before the result, the source: sealed retail sachets from Xplosiv’s own inventory, sent to an accredited lab with no prior notice.
| Product | MuscleTech Nitro-Tech Whey Protein |
|---|---|
| Flavour | Triple Chocolate |
| Format | Single-serve retail sachet (44 g) |
| Quantity | 4 × 44 g sachets |
| Batch | 1761 |
| Best before | 25 June 2026 |
| Lab | Eurofins Scientific NZ (IANZ / ILAC-MRA accredited) |
| Report | AR-25-NU-063776-01 · 10 July 2025 |
| Method | ISO 8968-1:2014 (Kjeldahl, N×6.38 dairy factor) |
The result at a glance
From lab number to verdict, in one table
The lab returned a raw nitrogen figure; Xplosiv applied a creatine correction; the corrected result was compared to the 30 g label claim. Here is the full chain before the chemistry explanation below.
| Label claim | 30.0 g | — |
|---|---|---|
| Raw nitrogen result What the test measured — before correction | 34.8 g | Eurofins — lab figure |
| Creatine correction 3 g creatine × 28.2% N × 6.38 = 5.4 g apparent protein | −5.4 g | Xplosiv calculation — not a lab figure |
| Corrected protein 34.8 − 5.4 = 29.4 g (Xplosiv arithmetic) | 29.4 g | Xplosiv calculation — not a lab figure |
| Verdict vs 30 g label claim | ✓ PASS | −2% (−0.6 g) — inside ±5% internal benchmark |
Eurofins reported 34.8 g apparent protein using a nitrogen-based method. Because Nitro-Tech declares 3 g creatine on the label, we corrected for creatine’s nitrogen contribution before comparing the result to the 30 g protein claim. Corrected result: 29.4 g protein. Verdict: PASS.
Why the raw result needs correction
How we got from the lab to 29.4 g
The nitrogen test measures all nitrogen in the sample and converts it to protein. Nitro-Tech contains 3 g of creatine per serving — creatine is nitrogen-rich but contains zero protein. We subtract that contribution. Here is the chain.
The lab found 79.1 g of apparent protein per 100 g, which works out to 34.8 g in one sachet — the raw nitrogen reading, before any correction (ISO 8968-1:2014 Kjeldahl, N×6.38 dairy factor). Report AR-25-NU-063776-01 · 10/07/2025
Creatine adds phantom protein: the nitrogen test counts it, but it is not real protein. The label-disclosed 3 g of creatine accounts for 5.4 g of that apparent protein, so we remove it (3 × 0.282 × 6.38 = 5.4 g). Full maths in “Go deeper” below
34.8 − 5.4 = 29.4 g per serving. Variance: −2%, inside our ±5% tolerance.
✓ PASSVisual breakdown
34.8 g → −5.4 g creatine → 29.4 g corrected
The nitrogen test returned 34.8 g initially. After Xplosiv subtracts the apparent protein contribution from label-disclosed creatine, the corrected figure lands at 29.4 g — just inside the 30 g label claim.
Picture a teacher counting children by counting backpacks. It works until someone dumps empty backpacks in the corner — suddenly the count says there are more children than there really are. Nitrogen is the backpacks. Protein is the children. The lab counts backpacks; we subtract the empty ones (the creatine) to get the real headcount.
Lab documents
The certificate of analysis
Every number above is sourced from this report. The PDF is publicly linked so you can verify every figure independently.
| Report | AR-25-NU-063776-01 |
|---|---|
| Report date | 10 July 2025 |
| Received | 07 July 2025 |
| Analysis | 07 July – 10 July 2025 |
| Method | NU785 — ISO 8968-1:2014 | IDF 20-1:2014 |
| LOQ | 0.1 g/100g |
| Raw result | 79.1 g/100g apparent protein (nitrogen method) |
Government-recognised independent laboratory — NZ’s highest accreditation standard for food testing
| Sample | Nitro Tech Whey 44g samples x 4 |
|---|---|
| Reference | 176g Triple Chocolate |
Methodology
How the test was conducted
Three steps, in the order they happened. Every step is independently verifiable against the Eurofins COA above.
Xplosiv purchased four sealed 44 g retail sachets of MuscleTech Nitro-Tech Triple Chocolate (batch 1761, BB 25 June 2026) from its own inventory — the same stock it sells to customers. Sealed retail sachets cannot be reformulated or supplemented before analysis.
The sachets were sent to Eurofins Scientific NZ (IANZ / ILAC-MRA accredited). Eurofins applied the NU785 / ISO 8968-1:2014 Kjeldahl nitrogen method (N×6.38 dairy factor) and returned 79.1 g apparent protein per 100 g (34.8 g per 44 g serving) in COA AR-25-NU-063776-01.
Eurofins did not report a creatine-corrected figure. Xplosiv applied its own arithmetic: 3 g label-disclosed creatine × 28.2% N × 6.38 = 5.4 g apparent protein removed. Corrected result: 29.4 g — a −2% variance against the 30 g label claim. Full working in “Go deeper” below.
For the curious
Go deeper
You already have the answer — 29.4 g corrected protein, a −2% PASS. Open either drawer below for the full reasoning behind the creatine correction and the step-by-step arithmetic.
Why 34.8 g is not the protein content
The lab does not directly measure protein. It measures nitrogen, then multiplies by 6.38 (the standard dairy conversion factor) and calls the result protein. This works because protein is the dominant source of nitrogen in dairy foods — the backpack-counting analogy above explains why that assumption breaks for Nitro-Tech.
Nitro-Tech contains 3 g of creatine per serving, listed on the label. Creatine monohydrate is about 28.2% nitrogen by molecular weight — more nitrogen-dense than protein. So the nitrogen test counts creatine's nitrogen and inflates the protein reading by 5.4 g.
In the lot we tested, that is not what is happening. The creatine is clearly disclosed on the label, in the correct amount, as an ingredient consumers are buying. There is no hidden filler. The test simply cannot tell creatine's nitrogen apart from protein's nitrogen. Once we subtract the creatine contribution, the real protein is 29.4 g — 0.6 g below the 30 g label claim, a −2% variance. That is a pass inside our ±5% tolerance.
Show the working — full arithmetic, 5 steps
The COA PDF linked above is the source for step 1. Verify the raw number before trusting any step that follows.
79.1 g/100g by NU785 — ISO 8968-1:2014 (Kjeldahl, N×6.38 dairy factor).
Per serving: 79.1 × 44 ÷ 100 = 34.8 g per 44 g sachet. Source: Eurofins report AR-25-NU-063776-01, report date 10/07/2025, LOQ 0.1 g/100g.
Creatine per serving: 3 g (MuscleTech Nitro-Tech label).
Nitrogen content of creatine monohydrate: 28.2% by molecular weight (creatine monohydrate C4H9N3O2·H2O, MW 149.15; N atoms: 3×14.01 = 42.03; 42.03÷149.15 = 28.2%).
Apparent protein from creatine: 3 × 0.282 × 6.38 = 5.4 g. Eurofins did not separately report a creatine-adjusted figure. This is Xplosiv's arithmetic.
34.8 − 5.4 = 29.4 g per 44 g serving.
Equivalent per 100 g: 29.4 ÷ 44 × 100 = 66.8 g/100g.
29.4 g vs 30 g = −0.6 g = −2%.
Xplosiv quality tolerance: ±5% (internal benchmark, a tolerance consistent with Codex Alimentarius nutrient-declaration practice). Result: PASS.
Eurofins Scientific NZ. Accreditation: RLP — IANZ/ILAC-MRA accredited testing laboratory — MPI recognised laboratory under Animal Products Act 1999 s101 (food-safety scope). Accreditation applies to method NU785 / ISO 8968-1:2014 used in this report.
Scope of this result
What this test does and does not prove
This result is specific to batch 1761 of MuscleTech Nitro-Tech purchased from Xplosiv’s own inventory. It is not a global finding about the brand or any other batch.
- Batch 1761 sachets purchased from Xplosiv passed the Eurofins nitrogen test after Xplosiv applied a creatine correction — within Xplosiv’s ±5% internal quality benchmark.
- The creatine correction (3 g × 28.2% N × 6.38 factor = 5.4 g) explains the gap between the raw nitrogen result (34.8 g) and the corrected figure (29.4 g). This arithmetic is Xplosiv’s own — Eurofins did not separately report a creatine-corrected figure.
- Xplosiv tested sealed retail sachets — the actual stock it sells — not manufacturer-supplied samples.
- The Eurofins COA (AR-25-NU-063776-01) is publicly linked on this page for independent verification.
- That every Nitro-Tech unit globally meets its label claim. This test covers batch 1761 only — it is not a finding about any other batch, market, or sample.
- That overseas samples were definitely counterfeit, fabricated, or accurately reported. Xplosiv is not adjudicating any allegation about those samples.
- That the ±5% benchmark is a statutory New Zealand pass threshold. It is Xplosiv’s internal quality benchmark, consistent with Codex Alimentarius nutrient-declaration practice — not a legal requirement.
- That every product Xplosiv stocks has been independently tested to this standard. This is one test in Xplosiv’s growing independent testing programme.
Questions & answers
Frequently asked
Common questions about this test, the creatine correction, and what the result means.
Why does the lab show 34.8 g when the label says 30 g?
The standard nitrogen test measures all nitrogen in the sample, then converts it to an apparent protein figure using a 6.38 factor. It works for plain dairy protein — but Nitro-Tech contains 3 g of creatine per serving, listed on the label. Creatine is nitrogen-rich (about 28.2% N by molecular weight) but contains zero protein. The test cannot distinguish creatine’s nitrogen from protein’s nitrogen, so it inflates the reading.
Xplosiv subtracts the apparent protein contributed by that creatine: 3 × 0.282 × 6.38 = 5.4 g. Once removed, the corrected figure is 29.4 g — within 2% of the 30 g label claim. This calculation is Xplosiv’s own arithmetic applied to the Eurofins laboratory result. Eurofins did not separately report a creatine-corrected figure.
Is the creatine in Nitro-Tech a form of amino spiking?
No. Amino spiking involves adding undisclosed, cheap, nitrogen-rich ingredients to inflate apparent protein while using less real protein. In the lot Xplosiv tested, the creatine is clearly printed on the MuscleTech label as an intentional, marketed ingredient.
There is no hidden filler. The nitrogen test simply cannot separate creatine’s nitrogen from protein’s nitrogen — that is a limitation of the test method applied to this product formulation, not evidence of deception in this specific lot.
Did Xplosiv’s test prove the overseas results were wrong?
No. Xplosiv’s test covers only the sealed retail sachets in batch 1761 purchased from its own inventory. What overseas samples showed, in what context, under what chain of custody, is a separate question this test does not answer.
Xplosiv is not adjudicating any claim about other batches, other markets, or the original allegations. This page publishes a NZ-specific, independently verifiable result for the stock Xplosiv sells.
What does ±5% tolerance mean — is it a legal requirement?
No. The ±5% is Xplosiv’s internal quality benchmark, consistent with Codex Alimentarius guidance on nutrient-declaration tolerances for nutrition label claims. It is not a statutory requirement under New Zealand law.
Xplosiv applies this benchmark because it aligns with international best practice for protein supplements and provides a clear, transparent pass/fail criterion. The actual variance for this batch was −2% (−0.6 g) — well inside the benchmark.
Does Xplosiv test every product and every batch it sells?
Not yet. This page documents Xplosiv’s independent lab test of one specific lot of MuscleTech Nitro-Tech. Xplosiv is building a programme of independent product testing and publishes results as they are completed.
This result covers the lot number shown on this page and does not represent a finding about every batch of the product or every product Xplosiv stocks.
How can I verify this result myself?
Download the full Eurofins COA using the link in the Certificate of Analysis section above (report AR-25-NU-063776-01, dated 10 July 2025). Every figure used in Xplosiv’s calculation appears on that report.
The creatine adjustment formula — 3 g creatine × 28.2% N × 6.38 dairy factor = 5.4 g — can be independently checked. Eurofins did not separately report a creatine-corrected figure; the 29.4 g is Xplosiv’s own arithmetic. The report’s raw result is 79.1 g/100g; multiplied by the 44 g sachet weight and divided by 100, that gives 34.8 g — confirmed.
Open Book Testing
Want the product we tested?
Batch 1761 tested and passed. Shop MuscleTech Nitro-Tech Whey Protein from Xplosiv’s own inventory, or explore the full Open Book Testing programme.