How to read a CBD COA (certificate of analysis)
CBD Guide - Rad Dad Alternative
How to read a CBD COA
A COA, or certificate of analysis, is the third-party lab report that tells you what is actually in a hemp product. To read one, confirm it comes from an independent lab, match its batch number to your product, check that the CBD milligrams match the label and the THC is within the legal limit, and make sure it passed the contaminant tests for pesticides, heavy metals, solvents, and microbials.
No COA, or a COA you cannot match to your batch, is a reason to walk away.
Read it in six steps
- Confirm it is third-party. The lab should be independent of the brand. A report a company runs on itself carries less weight.
- Match the batch or lot number. The number on the COA should match the one on your product. A COA for a different batch tells you nothing about what you bought.
- Check the date. Hemp degrades over time. A recent test is more meaningful than one from years ago.
- Read the cannabinoid panel. Confirm the CBD content matches the label, and check the THC is at or below 0.3 percent (and within your own comfort if you are tested).
- Check the safety panels. Look for pass marks on pesticides, heavy metals, residual solvents, and microbials. ND or "not detected" is what you want for contaminants.
- Look for the details. A trustworthy COA names the lab, the testing method, and the detection limits, not just a single number.
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Common questions
What is a CBD COA?
A certificate of analysis: a third-party lab report showing a product's cannabinoid content and its results for contaminants like pesticides, heavy metals, solvents, and microbials.
How do I know a COA is legitimate?
It should come from an independent lab, match your product's batch number, be reasonably recent, and list the lab, method, and detection limits, not just a single number.
What should the THC be on a CBD COA?
At or below 0.3 percent delta-9 THC to be federally compliant hemp. If you are drug tested, even a trace can matter, so consider broad-spectrum or isolate.
Why does the batch number matter?
Each batch is tested separately. A COA only tells you about the batch it was run on, so it must match the lot number on your product.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Learn more at raddadalt.com.
