A certificate of analysis, or COA, is a lab report from an accredited laboratory that analyzes the amount of various substances in the CBD product.

Not all COAs are equal.

Some COAs test for a limited amount of cannabinoids and harmful substances, where other COAs simply test for THC% and CBD %.

Some COAs test the CBD extract before it’s used for production, where others test the finished product.

The ideal COA should contain:

• Finished products – Testing for finished products, after manufacturing.
• Cannabinoid potency – the cannabinoid profile tests for potency and purity of CBD, THC and other cannabinoids. Basic tests will show CBD and THC, where more extensive tests also measure CBG, CBN and other cannabinoids with potential benefits.
• Terpenes – terpenes are found in hemp plants, are responsible for the unique aroma of hemp, and may have therapeutic benefits.
• Pesticides – this data shows whether the product is contaminated with dangerous pesticides from the hemp farming process.
• Heavy metals –   this data shows us whether the products are compliant with Prop 65, which limits the amount of acceptable heavy metals in consumable products.
• Residual solvents – this test is really important because it measures the safety and quality of the product. Harmful solvents may be introduced during hemp extraction, and these solvents may be present in the finished product.

While every data point in a COA can be valuable, there are three data points that are most important.

1. THC – THC content needs to be less than 0.3%. Anything above 0.3% is federally illegal under the Controlled Substances Act.
2. CBD – CBD content should accurately reflect the product label.
3. Contaminants – the finished CBD product should be free of contaminants, including pesticides, heavy metals and residual solvents.