Reading The Certificate Of Analysis (COA) For Quality CBD Oil

When looking to buy CBD products, it is always a good idea to start with a little bit of reading. While you can get away with a knock off handbag or pair of shoes, the same cannot be said for CBD products. Low-quality or fake products can be harmful to your health—and your wallet! A certificate of analysis (COA) is arguably the most important document to look at when doing research for quality CBD oil. Know what to look for in CBD products.

What Is The COA?

“Doing research” on a product can be daunting and you may not know where to start, or who to trust. The most important place to start looking, when purchasing CBD products, is the Certificate Of Authenticity (COA.) The COA of a product is a document laying out the purity, cannabinoid content and terpene profile of each product. Despite efforts, the CBD industry is still in its infancy and is mostly unregulated. Until then, the COA is the only document separating high-quality manufacturers from cheap counterparts.

Understanding The COA

The COA contains information about the manufacturing of the products, as well as test results. At the top of the document, the following information, confirming that the product was tested, should be easily visible:

• The batch number
• The manufacturing company’s information
• The laboratory’s information where the products were tested
• The signature of the laboratory manager overseeing the batch test

After verifying that the information, you should find and look through the following test results.

Cannabinoids

This test verifies the CBD content of the product. It lists every cannabinoid, along with the amount of each, found in the product. It is most commonly written as mg/g, describing how many milligrams of cannabinoids are found in every gram of the product sample. You will also find the THC content information here. These levels should register as being less than 0.3% or 0%, written as ND or non-detectable.

Pesticides and Herbicides

This test provides the consumer with safety information by listing the pesticides and herbicides used throughout the growing process. It identifies the concentration of the chemical found if it was not ND. A “PASS” or “FAIL” can be found next to the chemical testing. This shows whether it meets legal requirements for pesticide and herbicide content.

• Heavy Metals

  The COA will also provide information about potential heavy metals left after the manufacturing process. It will show the metals tested and their amount found in the product. The amounts found are most commonly presented as micrograms per kilogram, and can then be compared against the “use limit.” A use limit is the highest concentration a product can contain while being safe and legal for sale.

• Harmful Additives

  While many manufacturers do not include these test results, there are some that do. These tests are used to determine if the extraction process left behind any harmful additives. Commonly tested for are mold, microbials, and residual solvents. The COA will include the substance tested for and the amount present in the product. It is used to detect and rule out, any harmful substances which will be represented by ND.

• Terpene Profile

  The last thing on a COA, and potentially the most attractive to consumers, is the terpene profile. On their own, terpenes contain a distinct set of health benefits and flavors. Information around the amount and concentration of these terpenes found in the product is provided. This information may also provide consumers with an expected smell and taste of the product, if relevant.

All information presented on the COA is important, but so is the information that is left out. Manufacturers may try to trick consumers by simply leaving information out- be careful of this! Unlike these shady manufacturers, Miracle Balance provides locally sourced and high-quality products—just like their COA! Believing in purity by process, this company is dedicated to providing customers with nothing but quality.