In Singapore, there are three things you can verify yourself: whether the founder has a publicly searchable research identity, whether there is a peer-reviewed international publication on record, and whether there is a physical store you can actually walk into. None of those has anything to do with price. Research record DOI: 10.3390/ph19040563 →
It’s not every week — it’s closer to every few days. A friend in Singapore, or a family member calling from overseas, asking some version of the same thing: how do I know if the porcupine bezoar (also known as porcupine date) I’m looking at is actually worth trusting?
Usually the question comes attached to a price comparison. Is the expensive one better? Is the cheap one suspicious?
I think price is the wrong starting point.
The question is what you can verify.”
Here are three things a Singapore buyer can check directly — without having to take anyone’s word for it.
Three Things You Can Verify Yourself
One: Does the founder have a publicly searchable research identity?
A brand willing to put the founder’s academic credentials forward is a different kind of operation from one that keeps identities vague. The point isn’t that you need a PhD — the point is whether what they’re saying can be externally checked. If you can’t find the person, it’s harder to trust anything else.
Two: Is there a peer-reviewed international publication on record?
Our research collaboration with Guangdong Pharmaceutical University was published in April 2026 in the peer-reviewed international journal Pharmaceuticals (MDPI, PubMed-indexed). It is a rat animal-model study — in that model, we observed certain immunological and inflammatory marker trends. It is a starting point worth continuing, but it cannot yet tell us what happens in humans. Being straightforward about that boundary is, in my view, the minimum standard of honesty in this field.
Three: Is there a physical store in Singapore you can actually walk into?
Nothing online replaces a conversation you can have in person. A brand willing to open a physical location — and to let you make an appointment and come in — is putting itself in a position it can’t easily walk away from. The ability to come in, look at the product, and ask every question before deciding is something I think matters more than most buyers realise.
You’ll notice price didn’t appear anywhere in those three things.
That’s intentional. Price can be a reference point — but it’s a poor foundation for a decision about something you’re putting in your body.
Porcupine bezoar is sold in Singapore as a traditional natural health product. It has not been registered, evaluated or approved by HSA as a drug or therapeutic product. Nothing in this article constitutes a health efficacy claim or HSA endorsement. If you have a health concern, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
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