A CBD certificate of analysis (COA) is a document from an accredited third-party laboratory that details the number and potency of different cannabinoids in a product. CBD certificates of analysis are acquired by manufacturers by sending batches of their products to a fully accredited laboratory for testing to ensure the quality is consistent and free from contamination.
There’s a lot to be uncertain about when buying CBD, and researchers are finding that many CBD products don’t contain the quantities of CBD that is written on the label.
For example, research conducted by Bonn-Miller et al. (2017) into the labelling accuracy of cannabidiol extracts sold online found that 26% of the tested products contained less CBD than labelled. This is crucial to users as the discrepancy could in fact negate any potential benefits.
On the other hand, products that contain higher THC content than stated may be enough to produce intoxication or impairment, which could be especially dangerous if you plan to drive or have an upcoming drug test. Therefore, it’s essential that the exact product content is provided – which is where the COA comes in.
Similarly, core ingredient certificates relate to the active compounds within our products – namely the CBD and CBG isolates we use. These are to demonstrate that within those isolates, there are no impurities or traces of banned cannabinoids present which is sometimes the case in other core ingredients used by other CBD companies.
Firstly, check that the CBD has not been tested in house, as a COA should always come from a third party to ensure objectivity. Laboratories usually publish the results in mg/g as opposed to ml but rest assured that the mg/g reading equates to a 1ml sample from a particular batch – a batch of liquid used to make Canavape 200mg e-liquids, for example.
Regarding the CBD’s potency, check that the CBD and THC values match the label – THC content shouldn’t be higher than 0% according to current UK law. This is often reflected on a COA as 0.03%. This may come as a surprise given many products sold in the UK claim to contain up to 0.2% THC. All products sold on this website are free of THC.
Finally, be sure to peruse the COA to assess the product’s quality. CBD that is advertised as being full spectrum or broad spectrum should contain a variety of cannabinoids that should be reflected in the COA. These cannabinoids could include: CBDa, CBG, CBC, THC and CBN and should be present in amounts greater than 1%.
Below you’ll find a step by step guide to each section of the Canavape COA.
The laboratory’s registration number
Name of cannabinoid manufacturer
This table contains the data that the laboratory provides once testing is complete. In this sample, we can see that the laboratory received the sample on 28/11, and began testing on 29/11, before completion on 19/12.
This table contains the cannabinoid type (parameter), its potency result in both % and mg/g, and the testing method.
To find out more, you can view third-party accredited laboratory COA documents for products sold on this website here: COA Database.
Please note: This blog post reflects historical data predating recent changes in cannabinoid laws, medical cannabis regulations, and some of our best CBD product names, strengths, and formulations. These historical blogs remain as a reference post our website update, but they might contain outdated information. Discover our updated CBD and legal cannabinoid products for the best CBD experience.
