PIPING ROCK
COMPANY INFO
Piping Rock is a three-generation family-owned vitamin company based in Ronkonkoma, New York. The brand offers a broad range of vitamins, supplements, and oils, though black seed oil is not a primary focus within their product lineup.
●On March 20, 2025, we contacted the company via email to request detailed product information and any available lab analyses for their black seed oil. They provided a general response, but did not supply any third-party documentation. As such, all information in this review was obtained through independent research using publicly available online sources.
It’s worth mentioning that only three companies responded to our inquiry: Piping Rock, Bionatal, and Prime Natural.
PACKING AND SAFETY SEAL
The oil is packaged in a branded green PETE plastic bottle with a plastic cap and a transparent shrink wrap for tamper evidence. Inside the cap is a standard liner, and the bottle neck is sealed with a strong foil film.
● The foil seal is effective and secure, providing reliable protection against leaks — even during high-temperature shipping conditions, when black seed oil can expand by up to 20%.
SEEDS ORIGIN
There is no publicly available information regarding the origin of the seeds used in Piping Rock black seed oil. When contacted, the company did not directly answer this question, instead stating that they source their oil globally and “do not guarantee a country of origin.”
However, based on a direct comparison between the sample we received and several other known brands, we believe this oil is most likely produced from Turkish-grown seeds.
OIL DISCRIPTION
The oil has a light yellow, cloudy appearance, with a pleasant herbal aroma and a medium level of bitterness.
In our assessment, this oil is identical in color, flavor, bitterness, and overall taste to Zhou Nutrition, as well as to several well-known Turkish black seed oils, including Sweet Sunnah Premium, Prime Natural, Kiva, Maju, and Amazing Herbs Premium. It shows only minor differences when compared to Freshfield, Healths Harmony, Rawya, and Rawya Extra Strong.
THYMOQUINONE (TQ)
There is no available information about the thymoquinone (TQ) level for this oil — not on the brand’s website, sales platforms, or social media channels.
If, as our research suggests, this oil is indeed of Turkish origin, its TQ content would likely fall within the same range as other Turkish black seed oil brands that have published estimated levels (though none of them have provided publicly available certificates of analysis):
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Maju, Rawya, Rawya Extra Strong – Minimum 2%
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Sweet Sunnah Premium – 1.71%
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Freshfield – 1.64%
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Kiva, Prime Natural – Over 1.5%
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Amazing Herbs Premium – Minimum 1.2%
● As confirmed by experienced farmers, thymoquinone levels can vary even among seeds from the same country. These variations are largely influenced by elevation and climatic differences. In Turkey — a highly mountainous country — farms are located at a wide range of altitudes. Additionally, temperature differences between the cooler Black Sea coast in the north and the warmer Mediterranean coast in the south also impact seed potency and TQ concentration.
TABLE OF ANALYSIS
Extraction oil videos & photos
NO
Acids pH level analyses
NO
Nigellon level
NO
Non-filtered oil with seeds
NO
Thymoquinone level
NO
Volatile Oils level
NO
Cold press method analyses
NO
Thymohydroquinone level
NO
Heavy Metals level analyses
NO
Thymol level
NO
Industry Clarifications:
(The following industry points are worth noting)
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"Unrefined" ≠ Non-Filtered: Even unrefined oils are typically filtered and don’t contain seed particles.
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"Cold Press" misuse on the label: The term is widely used without proof. True cold pressing should be validated by testing for compounds like Benzo(a)pyrene and related PAHs.
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"Organic" ≠ Pesticide-Free: USDA standards still allow natural pesticides (§§ 205.601 - 205.602). No Nigella sativa seeds are entirely free from them.
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"Non-GMO" claims are unnecessary: Nigella sativa is not genetically modified, and global demand doesn’t justify GMO cultivation.
FINAL RANKING #4-C
Positions #1 and #2 in our ranking are undoubtedly held by the world’s most powerful black seed oils—both made from Ethiopian Nigella sativa seeds.
Position #3 (with sub-positions A through D) is occupied by select Turkish black seed oils that are slightly more bitter than the rest of the Turkish-sourced options. This mild increase in potency places them just below the Ethiopian oils, but above the more standard offerings.
Position #4 includes all remaining Turkish black seed oil brands, which exhibit a typical medium level of bitterness with no significant differences—even after extensive testing. Within this group, sub-positions are determined based on factors like transparency, consistency, and product focus.
Piping Rock is awarded sub-position “C.” While its oil shows no major issues, it lacks the transparency demonstrated by brands like Amazing Herbs and even Sweet Sunnah. This is largely because black seed oil is not a primary product for Piping Rock. Nonetheless, it maintains a respectable position by outperforming weaker oils and other Turkish brands that offer little to no information about their products.
BRAND OWNERS:
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