In this article, we aim to provide clarity for brands that collaborate with CBD wholesalers or manufacturers.
We will delve into what a CBD isolate Certificate of Analysis (COA) is, offer guidance on interpreting its contents, and highlight key aspects to focus on within each section.
1. What Does COA Mean?
A certificate of analysis (COA) is an important document that provides verified information about a product.
It includes details about the testing laboratory, the brand, and the specific product being tested.
The primary purpose of a COA is to disclose the potency of the ingredients present in the product, particularly in the case of hemp, CBD, and cannabis products.
These ingredients are usually cannabinoids like THC, CBD, CBG, and CBN. COAs may also provide information about terpenes, which are aromatic components contributing to the product’s scent, flavor, and therapeutic properties.
Besides ingredient potency, COAs are crucial for consumers to assess whether the product is free from harmful contaminants such as heavy metals, pesticides, molds, and bacteria.
Both USDA and state guidelines mandate that all products undergo testing. If a product lacks a COA, it is strongly advised not to consume or purchase it.
You can watch Stirling’s COA guide and learn more about Stirling’s QR Codes.
2. What To Look for In A COA?
To effectively read a CBD Certificate of Analysis (COA), it is important to understand its key sections and the information they provide.
While there may be some format variations, most COAs follow a similar structure.
Here’s a breakdown of how to interpret the main sections of a CBD COA:
Cannabinoid Types
This section identifies the different cannabinoids in the hemp plant. In the case of full-spectrum CBD products, the COA should list detectable cannabinoids such as CBD, CBDV, and CBG.
It will also indicate the presence of THC, which should not exceed 0.3% by weight unless the product is specifically labeled and legally sold as cannabis.
If a cannabinoid is listed as “ND” (non-detect), the compound was present in such small amounts that it couldn’t be detected by the testing equipment.
Weight Percentage
Located next to the list of cannabinoid types, this column indicates the percentage by weight of each cannabinoid.
The reported weight refers to the weight of the product itself, excluding packaging.
Concentration
This column provides the concentration of each cannabinoid in milligrams per gram (mg/g) of the entire product.
For CBD oils, the concentration column allows you to verify that the advertised amount of CBD is accurate.
For example, if you purchased a 50-gram product claiming to contain 600mg of CBD, the concentration should show 12mg of CBD per gram.
Heavy Metal Analysis
This section tests for the presence of heavy metals, which can be harmful if ingested above safe levels.
Look for the tested concentration level of each heavy metal, which indicates how much of each metal was found during testing.
It is important to ensure that the heavy metal concentrations are within acceptable limits.
Pesticide Analysis
Since hemp plants can attract insects, CBD COAs often include results for commonly used pesticides.
This section typically presents the tested pesticide levels, acceptable limit thresholds, and whether the results indicate a pass or fail.
It is crucial to ensure that the pesticide levels are below acceptable limits to guarantee product safety.
Mycotoxins
Mycotoxins are toxic compounds produced by fungi and molds, including aflatoxin, ochratoxin A, and ergot alkaloids.
It is important to ensure that the CBD products you purchase are free from these harmful toxins.
Ideally, CBD products should undergo testing for mycotoxins, as well as other factors such as accurate CBD content, absence of pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, microbial contamination, and other toxins.
By understanding these sections and their significance, you can extract valuable information about the cannabinoid content, product concentration, presence of heavy metals, and pesticide levels.
This knowledge empowers you to make informed decisions and ensures the quality and safety of the CBD product you are considering.
3. Importance of COA
Understanding Certificate of Analysis (COA) reports is of utmost importance when selecting a CBD brand.
The Certificate of Analysis (COA) holds great importance in the CBD industry as it provides transparency, quality assurance, safety testing, compliance with regulations, and promotes consumer confidence and industry accountability.
Premium CBD brands, like Stirling, stand out because we prioritize transparency and quality.
COA reports provide valuable information about the product’s quality and can help you make informed decisions as a consumer.
For many customers, deciphering COA reports can be perplexing.
Particularly for those opting for Full Spectrum CBD, it becomes crucial to scrutinize the levels of CBD, CBG, CBN, THC, and THCV present in the product.
Rest assured, premium brands provide COA reports that are thoughtfully condensed into easily digestible graphs, and they always align with the specific batch number of the product.
The power of CBD lies in its myriad health benefits, making it a remarkable compound, from alleviating stress and aiding appetite control to promote bone growth, easing muscle and joint pain, and bolstering the immune system.
CBD has the potential to enhance overall well-being. However, unlocking these benefits hinges upon selecting a brand that demonstrates an unwavering commitment to safety and meticulous testing processes, ensuring that the CBD you consume high quality.
Conclusion
Stirling CBD’s Certificates of Analysis (COAs) are instrumental in the CBD industry as they promote transparency, assure product quality, and instill consumer confidence.
These documents contain crucial information regarding the ingredients, potency, and safety of CBD products. Stirling QR codes can be used for easy reference.
