The Certificate of Analysis: How To Read a COA

The Document That Backs the Claim

A Certificate of Analysis, or COA, is the laboratory report that accompanies a batch of raw material or finished product. It is the evidence behind the words on the label, and knowing how to read one separates informed buyers from hopeful ones.

The Four Things a Good COA Covers

**1. Identity.** Confirmation that the material is the species it claims to be, ideally by more than one method such as macroscopic, microscopic, or DNA testing for adulteration-prone botanicals.

**2. Purity.** Tests for contaminants including heavy metals, pesticide residues, microbial load, and sometimes mycotoxins.

**3. Potency.** Quantified levels of the marker compounds that matter for that herb, such as withanolides or silymarin.

**4. Physical and general parameters.** Moisture, ash, foreign matter, and similar quality measures.

Red Flags

• A COA with no batch or lot number that ties it to your actual shipment.
• Results that say only pass without stating the method or the limit.
• An expiry or test date that predates the material by years.
• Identity confirmed only by the supplier’s say-so, with no analytical method listed.

Why It Matters

Regulators increasingly expect brands to hold specification-linked COAs for every lot. Beyond compliance, a COA is your first defence against adulteration, contamination, and mislabelled species.

The Takeaway

Never accept a botanical on trust alone. Read the COA, match it to the batch, and confirm identity, purity, and potency before it enters your supply chain.

*This overview is educational and is not legal or regulatory advice.*