Cannabidiol, or CBD as it’s commonly known, has rapidly emerged as one of the most popular natural remedies in recent years. You’ve probably seen it in health stores, online shops, and maybe even in your local coffee shop. Extracted from the cannabis or hemp plant, CBD offers a range of potential health benefits without the ‘high’ associated with its cousin, THC.
With its rising popularity, the CBD industry has turned into a multi-billion-dollar [mfn]https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2021/10/21/the-future-of-the-cbd-industry-in-2022-and-beyond/[/mfn] market almost overnight. But amid this rise and promising potential, there’s an undercurrent of concern: the industry’s lack of consistent regulation, casting a shadow over the quality, purity, and safety of many CBD products available today.
This is where third-party testing comes in. Unaffiliated labs are the unsung heroes, ensuring product quality and safety by verifying CBD concentration and checking for harmful contaminants.
But how exactly do these independent labs test CBD products? How do they determine if your favorite CBD oil has the right amount of CBD or if it contains harmful contaminants? What should you look for in a test report to ensure you’re getting a safe and effective product? Read on to learn more!
Why is Third-Party Testing Important for CBD Products?
Before we get to the process, we just have to understand do we really need third-party testing? Can’t we just trust the labels on the products?
Unfortunately, the situation isn’t that easy. With the rapid rise of the CBD industry, a diverse range of products has flooded the market, from oils and edibles to skincare and pet treats. Despite this expansion, the regulatory landscape hasn’t kept up.
Some sellers, capitalizing on the lack of stringent controls, may deliver sub-par products, potentially putting your health at risk with contaminants like pesticides or heavy metals.
This is where third-party testing facilities, like ACS Laboratory, a cannabis, hemp, and CBD testing lab, step in. Independent and impartial, these labs provide crucial insights into the quality and safety of CBD products. They verify the claimed CBD concentration and check for harmful contaminants, ensuring what you get is what’s advertised.
So, How Does Independent Third-party CBD Testing Work?
Third-party testing labs uphold strict standards and procedures when testing CBD products. A quality laboratory will have the ISO/IE 17025:2017 accreditation and should be state certificated. Upon arrival, each product undergoes an initial inspection to ensure there’s no visible contamination or damage.
Then, the product transitions into the sample preparation phase. Here, it’s broken down into a form suitable for accurate analysis. For example, CBD oils may undergo heating to promote better measurement, and edibles might be homogenized to guarantee a representative sample.
The ready sample is then subjected to various tests. Labs commonly use High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) to identify and quantify cannabinoids such as CBD and THC. Additional tests, like gas chromatography for terpenes, and mass spectrometry for potential contaminants (heavy metals, pesticides, or residual solvents), are also conducted.
These tests yield detailed data about the product, including CBD and THC concentrations, and any detected contaminants. After meticulous verification of this data, a Certificate of Analysis (COA) is issued.
This COA serves as an important document for manufacturers and consumers alike. It affirms the product’s safety standards and verifies the CBD and THC concentrations stated on the product label.
What to Look for in a Certificate of Analysis (COA)
Now that you have a better understanding of the third-party testing process, you might be wondering: how do I read the results on a COA?
There are three key sections in a Certificate of Analysis (COA) you should pay attention to when assessing the quality and safety of CBD products.
Product and Lab Information: This is typically at the top of the COA. Here, you’ll find details about the tested product and the laboratory that conducted the testing. Confirm the lab’s name and accreditation to ensure the testing was carried out by a credible source.
Cannabinoid Profile: This section outlines the concentrations of CBD, THC, and possibly other cannabinoids in the product. It provides crucial information about the potency of the CBD product, letting you know exactly what and how much you’re getting.
Contaminants Test Results: This part of the COA is your guarantee that the product is free from harmful substances. It lists out results for heavy metals, pesticides, and residual solvents, confirming the absence of these potential contaminants.
Each section also includes a “Pass” or “Fail” status, indicating whether the product has met the safety standards for each category of tests.
Conclusion
Choosing third-party tested CBD products is not just a smart decision, but it is also a vital one. Given the unregulated nature of the CBD industry, buying third-party tested products is your best defense against poor quality, ineffective, or even harmful products.
Third-party testing provides you with an unbiased verification of what’s inside the product. The test results allow you to confirm whether the product contains the stated amount of CBD, ensuring you’re not being shortchanged. It also verifies the product’s THC content, which is important as high levels can lead to unwanted psychoactive effects.
Most importantly, third-party testing promotes transparency within the CBD industry. It encourages producers to maintain high-quality standards and discourages dubious practices.
