What is a Certificate of Analysis?
A Certificate of Analysis, or COA, is an official report provided by an independent, third-party lab that verifies the contents & safety of the product tested. Depending on the testing done, a COA can ensure that a product contains the advertised amount of cannabinoids & that it is free from any harmful contaminants or unwanted ingredients such as synthetic cannabinoids, pesticides, heavy metals, & solvents.
Every hemp-derived product should come with a COA for both safety & legality purposes. If a company is not openly providing COAs for every product, their products could contain harmful contaminants or unadvertised cannabinoids.
All of our lab results are listed under each individual product listing, or can be found here.
How to Read a Certificate of Analysis
While lab reports can vary from lab to lab, most Certificates of Analysis follow a similar structure. Below are the main components of a COA.
Company & Lab Information
The company information can be found near the top of a COA. It provides the name of the company that ordered the test, as well as their contact information (address, phone number, etc). Sometimes, the company name may not match the seller's brand name due to manufacturing.
The lab information can also be found near the top of a COA, usually located in the upper right corner. It indicates the lab that carried out the testing of the product along with any other relevant information about the lab.
Product Information
The product information is also found near the top of a COA. It provides all of the basic details & identifying information about the product being tested, such as:
- Batch Number: a unique number or code that identifies the specific batch of product being tested. It is mainly used when producing multiple batches of the same product in a short period of time. If present, the corresponding batch number can be found somewhere on the product packaging (usually near the expiration or production date).
- Sample Type: a listing that identifies the category of product that is being tested (flower, tincture, edible, vape, etc).
- Sample Name: sometimes, a "sample name" or "product name" is given to differentiate different strains, flavors, or formulations of products.
- Receiving Date: the date the lab received the product sample.
- Testing Date: the date the product was tested.
- Expiration Date: the date that the lab test results are no longer valid, usually 12-18 months after the initial testing date.
Cannabinoid Profile
This cannabinoid profile lists the total cannabinoids present in the product, along with the concentrations of each. Concentrations are usually measured in milligrams per gram (mg/g) or as a percentage (%).
How to Interpret a Cannabinoid Profile:
- Milligrams per: the concentration of cannabinoids in milligrams of product. Usually, it presents the number of cannabinoids present in one unit of product (such as one gummy).
- Percentage (%): the percentage of each cannabinoid present in the product. For example, if a product contains 10% CBD, that means 10% of the weight of the product is CBD.
Contaminant Testing
Contaminant Testing is what ensures the safety of a product. It checks for any harmful substances that may be present in a product. Commonly tested contaminants include:
- Pesticides: pesticides may be used during the cultivation of hemp, this test can determine if their are any pesticides present & if they fall within the safe limit.
- Heavy Metals: hemp can absorb heavy metals from within the soil when growing. this test can determine if any heavy metals are present & if they fall within safe limits.
- Microbial Contaminants: this test checks for the presence of harmful bacteria, molds, & yeasts that could pose a health risk. Look for the words “ND” (not detected) or levels below the acceptable limit.
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Residual Solvents: If the hemp extract was made using solvents like ethanol or butane, this test ensures there are no dangerous levels of residual solvents left in the final product.
Why a COA is Important
A COA can confirm the contents of a product. Since the hemp industry is large and loosely regulated, there is a lot of space for bad actors. Products are often misleadingly labeled, and a COA can confirm or deny a product actually contains what is advertised.
The most common misleading label happens when a product is marketed as "Delta 9 THC," but contains a low amount of Delta 9 THC and a high amount of a converted cannabinoid such as Delta 8 THC, THCp, or HHC.
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