Why is a Certificate of Analysis so important?
As more people begin to explore the benefits of CBD, the market is flooding with new CBD products and manufacturers. With varying levels of regulation across the country, how do you know what you’re getting when you shop for CBD? Your best bet is to carefully read the product label and COA, or Certificate of Analysis.
WHAT IS A COA?
A COA provides an analytical summary of the what’s in the product, and in what amounts. It gives you a breakdown of the plant’s naturally-occurring compounds as well as any unwanted compounds that may be present.
All CBD brands will provide a COA for each of their products. Be wary of manufacturers that don't present the COA upfront, or can’t produce one when prompted. We don’t recommend purchasing any CBD products that don’t have a COA readily available.
A COA contains a lot of highly specific information, but ultimately answers two simple questions:
- What's in the product? A COA details the levels of all cannabinoids and other compounds occurring in the product. This includes any incidence of harmful or unwanted compounds, such as heavy metals or pesticides.
- Is the product legally compliant? Together with the quantity of each compound in the product, the COA will show the compound’s legal limit, making for a simple side-by-side comparison. It even lists the lab’s method for determining those quantities, if you’re really curious.
THINGS TO LOOK FOR ON YOUR COA
CBD Content This one might be a no-brainer, but your CBD product should clearly state quantity of CBD within. This may be of particular importance if you are exploring full- or broad-spectrum CBD products, which may have more variance in CBD potency from batch to batch than CBD isolate products.
THC Content Your product’s THC content shouldn’t exceed the national legal limit of 0.3%. Our products are made using CBD isolate which contains 0% THC.
Microbes and Mycotoxins This section shows the presence, or hopefully absence, of natural contaminants like bacteria, mold, and yeast.
Appearance The COA will let you know, at a high level, how the product is supposed to look. This information may be helpful as a reference, to make sure it looks as it should.
Other Compounds A number of other components may attach to the CBD during the growing, harvesting, or refinement processes. Trace amounts of some of the following compounds may appear in even the highest-quality CBD products:
- Heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium, mercury, or lead
- Solvents that might have been used to extract the CBD from the hemp
- Pesticides used during farming
- Microbes and mycotoxins such as bacteria, mold, and yeast
Look to the column that indicates the quantity of these compounds that’s safe for your body, and see how your product stacks up. We don’t recommend purchasing or consuming products that exceed the safe levels of any of the above components.
OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU
Everything we sell is traceable from hemp seed to the consumer’s hands. From seed to sale, we closely monitor our processes with your safety in mind. Our rigorously tested hemp is grown and harvested in the USA. Our products are manufactured in accordance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), adhere to exacting pharmacological standards, and are subjected to continuous safety and quality checks. Everything we produce is packaged to provide consumers with the information they need, and shipped securely to the point of sale or directly to the consumer.
Please find the Certificates of Analysis for our products here to learn more.
Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash
