How to Read a COA
We rigorously test all of our products and publish the COAs on our site. But we are often asked, “What’s a COA? Why is it important? And how do I read one?” Let’s walk through our testing process and discuss what to look for in a COA. First, the basics:
What is a COA?
COA stands for “certificate of analysis.” It’s a report from a lab that summarizes the analysis of a product to ensure safety and compliance.
A COA may explain results from a single test or multiple tests. The substances being analyzed are called analytes.
Typically, the tests summarized on a hemp product COA determine things like pH and potency as well as levels of terpenes, pesticides, heavy metals, residual solvents, mycotoxins, microbes, moisture, filth and foreign material. Analytes that contribute to a product’s overall potency include CBD, CBN and CBG.
Why is a COA important?
Just as you might check for the types of ingredients, amount of a certain ingredient or presence of additives before deciding to purchase a food item, it’s important to understand what’s in the products you’re ingesting or applying to your skin.
Many safeguards are in place for food products, and sometimes we still find ourselves scrutinizing packages to understand exactly what’s inside. Imagine how complex the possibilities become when there are no standard testing requirements for the burgeoning hemp industry.
We are committed to meticulous lab-testing to ensure that our products are the purest and cleanest on the market.
How do I read a COA?
We’ll get back to this question when we take you on a tour of a COA, but first…
So hemp testing isn’t even required?
Testing hemp products is not federally required here in the US. But we recognize (and share the belief) that informed customers should know as much as they can about what they’re putting on or in their bodies.
Since the inception of our hemp-derived line, introducing exceptionally clean products that are responsibly cultivated and meet the strictest standards has been our goal. Rigorous testing protocols developed over our long history in cannabis have been carried over to ensure the highest-quality hemp-derived products. California cannabis testing requirements and National Organic Program (NOP) standards form the backbone of our hemp testing methodology.
As Director of Operations Kelsey Riley has said, “We test our hemp-derived products like cannabis because hemp is cannabis and should be held to the same high standard.”
Wherever this new hemp landscape evolves, we pledge to continue setting the bar for best practices.
How are hemp products tested?
Testing is performed multiple times throughout cultivation, extraction and production. Every time there is a change to its form or it passes from one phase of the process to another, the hemp used in our products is tested to ensure the same standards of quality, purity and compliance are maintained—from seed to finished product.
Who tests your products?
While some companies do only in-house testing (or, worse, none at all), all of our products are tested by third-party accredited labs with some of the most stringent standards in the industry.
Pure Analytics, a licensed potency and safety-screening facility in California, performs the same testing assays required of legal marihuana products containing 0.3% or more THC.
For certain analyses, we use California-based Anresco Laboratories, which is renowned in the food industry and is an ISO/IEC 17025:2005-accredited facility recognized by the FDA.
What are your hemp products tested for?
Although not required, our standard battery of tests is informed by the rigorous requirements for compliant marihuana products in California:
Tincture |
Vapor |
Performance |
|
Cannabinoids |
X |
X |
X |
|
Levels of cannabinoids such as CBD, CBG, CBC, CBN and THC determine the overall potency. Hemp-derived products contain less than 0.3% THC. |
|||
Micro (S,E,A) |
X |
X |
X |
|
Because it is all natural, we test for microbes like E. coli, Salmonella and Aspergillus. |
|||
Pesticides |
X |
X |
X |
|
Products are currently screened for 66 different pesticides. |
|||
Residual Solvents |
X |
X |
X |
|
Residual solvents are traces of volatile compounds used in some production processes. This test screens for toxic solvents including butane, acetone and toluene. |
|||
Filth & Foreign Material |
X |
X |
X |
|
A product should not include particles or debris that are not natural to its ingredients. |
|||
Mycotoxins |
X |
X |
X |
|
Mycotoxins are naturally occurring toxic compounds produced by molds. |
|||
Heavy Metals |
X |
X |
X |
|
This test screens for mercury, lead, cadmium and arsenic. Hemp is a bioaccumulator, which means that it absorbs substances at a faster rate than it can metabolize them (so they accumulate in the plant). This quality makes it useful as an industrial soil “cleaner.” In the US, if it has been grown in accordance with a state hemp program, hemp used for human consumption will not have been used for industrial purposes. Hemp grown outside the US might not have this safeguard. |
|||
Terpenes |
X |
X |
|
|
Terpenes are natural compounds that serve a variety of purposes, including forming a plant’s distinctive flavor and aroma profile. Whole-plant hemp extract (also called “full-spectrum CBD”) contains a range of terpenes native to the plant, while broad-spectrum products may contain a reduced amount, because some are lost in processing. |
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Vitamin E Acetate |
|
X |
|
|
This thickening agent is sometimes added to illicit vapor products. Our vapor oil is completely uncut, but we test for Vitamin E Acetate for further assurance to users that our oil is free of this potentially harmful additive. |
|||
Food-Grade Test |
X |
|
|
|
Analytes unique to food-grade testing include Listeria, Coliform, Yeast and Standard Plate Count. |
|||
Shelf Stabilization |
X |
|
X |
|
This test supports an appropriate “best by” date when stored under proper conditions. |
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Challenge & Stability Testing for 30 Days |
X |
X |
X |
|
The product is introduced to different temperatures, bacterias and environments to narrow down its exact shelf life before and after opening. |
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RIPT (Repeat Insult Patch Test) |
|
|
X |
|
With clinical oversight, volunteers apply the product to skin, which is then covered with a patch. Subjects are monitored for 30 days to determine whether the product causes any irritation or may be labeled non-allergenic or non-irritating. |
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How do I read a COA?
Let’s take a closer look with an actual COA of our 600 mg Relieve Tincture.
Page 1
Section 1 tells you:
1) The specific product that was analyzed. Product name, batch ID and lot number should match what’s on the box. Specificity is important with COAs, because a product may be created from different harvests in different batches at different times.
2) The dates the product was received, tested and summarized.
3) The tests that were performed. Lab Sample ID and QC Batch(es) are internal tracking codes used by the lab.
Section 2 summarizes all tests, whether the product passed or failed.
The microbiology summary at the top of a COA may include information about moisture and water activity to rule out the presence of excessive moisture that could support the growth of bacteria, yeast and mold. In the case of our Performance topicals, this area also may include the product’s pH to demonstrate that it is unlikely to cause skin irritation.
Section 3 breaks down the product’s cannabinoid content, aka potency.
There are many cannabinoids beyond CBD (cannabidiol) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) that we test our products’ concentration levels for, like CBN (cannabinol), CBC (cannabichromene) and CBG (cannabigerol). We test for the key cannabinoids listed on the COA because they are most relevant to determining the product’s overall potency.
Compliant hemp-derived products in the US have THC levels below 0.3%. This is one of the many reasons why a COA is important—it can prove a product's compliance.
Section 4 covers:
1) Residual Solvents.
2) Heavy Metals.
3) Filth and Foreign Material.
Section 5 includes the lab info.
The lab’s info and signature of the person compiling the report are included.
Section 6 is the results legend. ND = Not Detected, NA = Not Applicable, NT = Test Not Performed
Page 2
Section 7 details pesticide screening results.
Regarding pesticides in hemp (and other agricultural products), Bloom Farms Chief Scientist Michael Coffin says, “There are metals and trace pesticides in almost everything that we consume. Sadly, there is environmental contamination in our entire food supply chain. Making sure it is below the very strict levels set by the state in which it was manufactured is the critical point.”
Section 8 is the mycotoxin analysis.
Mycotoxins are natural toxic compounds produced by some molds (fungi).
Page 3
Section 9 gives insight into the terpene profile.
Terpenes occur throughout nature to serve a variety of purposes, such as deterring pests. They also shape a plant’s bouquet, so terpene profile is the most common distinction of a hemp strain. Since they occur in unique ratios from strain to strain, terpenes are thought to be the main contributing factor in the differences between strains.
What to Look for in COAs
You deserve products that are easy to use, expertly formulated and meticulously lab-tested. Opt for products that are tested and brands who openly share the results of these tests.
If you have any questions regarding our COAs, please reach out to our customer service department. We’ll do our best to get back to you within 24-48 hours unless the question requires legal input.