The anatomy of a Certificate of Analysis: how to read a COA and why it matters

A “Certificate of Analysis,” or “COA,” is a document that shows the test results of a given product. It can contain a variety of information, and sometimes it can be difficult to read.

Many brands boast these days that they have “COAs” for their products, but not all COAs are created equal. Today I want to discuss COAs and how to read them; at Cantrip we go to lengths to not only ensure accuracy and completeness, but also to make them as readable to consumers as possible – effort that not everyone goes to, particularly when their test results aren’t great.

What to expect out of a COA

A COA for any given hemp product should contain the following:

• A batch name or lot number for the specific batch of the product tested; avoid anything that only is tested with a flavor or product name;

• The date that the product was tested;

• The lab accreditation information;

• A potency panel, microbial and mycotoxin panel, at minimum.

A good COA should also include additional testing for hemp products.

The above COA is the first page of one of our reports. The highlighted fields, from top to bottom, are: batch code, percentage by weight of THC, amount of THC in the whole can, and amount of THC in each serving of the can since Cantrip considers our 10mg cans to be two servings of 5mg THC.

Batch Code: a batch code is a unique identifier that designates that this batch is distinct from other runs of the same flavor. Some brands only list the flavor on their website, as if testing the flavor once is enough to prove it is safe and accurate forever. This is false; different things can happen on different manufacturing days, and it is important that each batch is tested distinctly.

Every product you purchase from hemp needs to have a batch code and expiration date; if it doesn’t, don’t buy it. In the case of beverages, this is usually on the bottom of the can – see below example.

Percentage by Weight: this number is the concentration of THC in the product on a weight basis – that is, it is the total mass of THC divided by the total mass of the product. This number for hemp must be less than 0.3%; many brands stop here. Cantrip, for the convenience and transparency to our customer, translates that number into how many milligrams are in the can, which should match how the can is labeled. If we didn’t, it would be difficult for customers to quickly understand what they are getting – and easier for companies to hide bad results. Don’t trust a COA if they’re not willing to show the actual product results. 

Accreditation

Always look for the accreditation and license numbers of the lab to ensure the lab is legit. These are also searchable if you want to further check; DEA registration numbers are public (not required for a lab’s legitimacy, but required in certain states for sales.) The ISO/IEC number is what tells you they’re a real lab accredited by the International Organization for Standardization.

Additionally, a COA by a proper lab is not editable – if you pop a pdf into Adobe Reader, it should not allow editing. This is to prevent companies from doctoring test results and misrepresenting their products. If you can edit a COA in Adobe, then it is not a real lab report.

Additional testing

In some states like Minnesota, microbial and mycotoxin testing are legally required. These will usually be on subsequent pages of the report. Cantrip is tested for microbials, mycotoxins, heavy metals, residual solvents, and pesticides. I believe at minimum microbials, mycotoxins, and pesticides should be on every report. In the case of heavy metals and residual solvents, they are usually so dilute in a beverage that it is unlikely to show up in a panel if they exist at all; pesticides testing is important to validate the source material as not containing anything dangerous. 

Looking for naturally derived THC

Naturally derived THC is important – it is better than artificially created or converted THC, as I have already written about here. There are ways to spot this, although they can be difficult.

One dead giveaway for converted THC is the presence of d8-THC. If you see d8-THC in a product that is supposedly d9-THC, you know it is artificial.

This can be tough to see in a beverage product; they are so diluted that even if they contain d8-THC in trace amounts, it might not show up in the panel. If you like a brand, ask them to show them their intermediate COAs – the COA of the distillate or other intermediate steps. If you see d8-THC there, you can bet it’s converted. The presence of CBG, CBC, and CBN more frequently exist in naturally derived THC, so those are positive indicators of naturally derived THC. Below is a snip of our naturally extracted d9-THC distillate so you can see what is often present.

Summary

If you’re buying a hemp product, testing matters. Always ensure:

• Each batch of a product is tested distinct from other batches; a single test of a flavor is not enough;

• The product has a batch code and expiration date printed on each package, as well as a QR code or link to the page containing the test results;

• Test results clearly demarcate how much THC is intended to be delivered in the can or container, instead of hiding behind unclear percentages;

• Testing panels include potency analysis, microbials, mycotoxins, and pesticides at minimum and ideally more information;

• The lab is accredited;

• The panel does not contain delta 8 THC.

That’s it for today – I hope that helped. Cantrip remains committed to good testing practices, but those are only as useful as customers are informed about what they mean. To be a trusted brand by consumers means to be able to be held accountable by them, and that’s only possible when consumers know what they’re looking at – and no brand can claim they are “educating consumers” without telling them what’s in their products.