How to Read Certificates of Analysis (COAs)

When shopping for Delta-8, CBD, or Delta-9 products online, you've probably come across COAs. Upon opening one of these documents, you probably got overloaded with a lot of scientific terms.

Believe it or not, COAs are actually supposed to make your life easier- if you understand them. That's why we're going to teach you how to read COAs. Once you know what these lab results indicate, you'll be better able to make informed decisions when buying hemp products. 

But first, Let's answer the question that's eating us all up...

A COA, which stands for "Certificate of Analysis," is a document containing the third-party laboratory results for a given product. Think of it as an assessment of a hemp product's safety, validity, and accuracy. It declares impartially a product's:

This type of analysis is pretty standard in every industry. There are numerous consumer protection practices to ensure we're informed and safe.  Some common examples include:

A Certificate of Analysis serves a similar function for those looking to buy Delta-8, Delta-9, and CBD.

There's a lot of science behind it, but here's the general outline of how Certificates of Analysis are made.

First, a hemp business sends over a sample of its products to a third-party lab. The lab must be independent to ensure an impartial (not biased) analysis. The products get tested for various properties, such as the concentration of hemp-derived Delta-9 THC, terpenes, and possible contaminants (we'll explore the specifics in the next section).

The lab then sends its findings to the manufacturer, who is legally obligated to make them accessible to consumers. Having comprehensive results is beneficial for many reasons. For one thing, the manufacturer can confirm that the product they're selling is safe and meets their quality standards.

They typically link the results through a QR code on their products' packaging or post them on their website. This way, a customer can be confident that the product they're buying contains a Farm Bill-compliant concentration of THC and is safe for their consumption.

The format of a COA will vary depending on the lab. However, several substances are tested for and measured in thorough COAs. We're going to list those parts below and then break them down.

Ah, the fun part of the COA. Here is where you will find how much Delta-8 THC, CBD, or other cannabinoids are present in a product. It will also indicate how much hemp-derived Delta-9 THC is present, to verify that it’s legally compliant (as a reminder, the Delta-9 THC concentration of any hemp product cannot exceed 0.3% of its dry weight).

Heavy metals (not to be confused with the music genre) are a group of inorganic contaminants. Some of the typical heavy metals tested include:

We don't need to tell you that you don't want these in your gummies, flower, or other products.

We know what you're thinking- "What the heck is a mycotoxin?"

It's a toxin formed from fungus. "Myco" comes from the Greek "mykes," which means fungus or mushroom. Mycology is the study of fungi (you get the point)

Sometimes it's easy to detect mold on cannabis, and sometimes it can be tricky, especially in its early phases. Testing mycotoxins in cannabis products ensures there's no room left for error.

You are likely familiar with pesticides. They're chemicals used in agriculture to kill various (you guessed it) pests.

Cannabinoids, like CBD or Delta-8, come from hemp. Farmers may use pesticides from time to time to protect their cannabis plants. This part of the COA determines if there is a harmful amount of pesticides.

A solvent is a chemical used to dissolve other substances. Sometimes a bit of solvent can be left behind in a product. This is usually a problem with cheaply derived Delta-8 THC and other cannabis products.

At Hometown Hero, we use hemp-derived cannabinoids. The only solvent used for our cannabinoids is beverage-grade CO2 which evaporates during the extraction process.

Pathogens are microorganisms that cause diseases.

The pathogenic microbiology section of a COA reveals if any harmful microorganisms have been detected in the product.

This section is pretty similar to the pathogenic microbiology section. Listeria is a bacteria that causes the disease known as listeriosis.

Listeriosis is easily one of the most severe and, unfortunately, common types of food poisoning out there. This phase of testing determines whether Listeria is present in a hemp product.

So you have a Delta-8 COA in front of you. Perhaps it's the COA for Hometown Hero's Blueberry Delta-8 gummies. Here's how you want to go about interpreting it.

First, you want to check the lab. In the document linked above, for example, ACS Laboratory developed the COA for Hometown Hero's Blueberry Gummies.

Some things you'll want to ask are "Does the laboratory have a website? Do they have their address listed on the COA?"

You can find ACS's website at acslabcannabis.com. On the COA, their address can also be found.

Some COAs have a results summary toward the top. This is done out of convenience for the consumer and manufacturer. Right off the bat, you can tell where and if a Delta-8 THC product has passed the laboratory's tests.

At the top of the COA for Hometown Hero's gummies, you can find results for:

The rest of the COA will give specific breakdowns of the results.

There are four primary columns in the detailed results for the Hometown Hero COAs done by ACS Laboratory.

From left to right, they read as "Analyte," "LOQ," "Action Level," and "Result." Here's what each of those columns means:

From left to right, you can read what’s being measured, the lowest amount of that substance that can be detected, the safe limit of that substance, and then, the results.

A good footer in a COA adds legitimacy to the results. A lab might put the name and title of the toxicologist who carried out the test. The signature of the principal scientist may follow this.

A reliable laboratory will also have its licenses and certifications at the bottom. It's third-party verification for the test. One of the most significant certifications is a DEA registration.

Right off the bat, a Delta-8 product without a COA is a bad sign. However, having a COA may not be good enough if the COA is illegitimate. So what are the warning signs?

One of the biggest red flags when it comes to COAs is inconsistent formatting. A COA with inconsistent formatting could have been forged.

Some of the formatting inconsistencies can include:

Laboratories that test Delta-8 products might have a sample of their COA format for reference. ACS Laboratory, the company that tests Hometown Hero products, has a sample COA on its website.

Another red flag is when a COA is missing sections. For example, a Delta-8 product's COA may contain its cannabinoid content. However, it might lack tests for different types of contaminants.

Finally, one of the most significant red flags you can find in a COA is a "ghost address." A reliable third-party lab will have its address listed on the COA.

It's a bad sign if you Google the address and either nothing comes up or it's a residence. ACS Laboratory's location can be found on Google Maps.

At Hometown Hero, quality and safety are our top priorities when it comes to our products. It’s why we only use hemp-derived cannabinoids. It’s why we spend everywhere from weeks to months developing and testing new products. You can find all of our COAs on our website (on every product page).

We would be more than happy to be your preferred source for all your favorite cannabis products. However, no matter who you buy from, we hope you make a safe and informed decision.

Until next time, happy exploring, and Mind Your Mind.