CBD Lab Testing Explained

What is CBD Lab Testing? It’s a detailed analysis to prove your CBD is clean, pure, and does not contain more than 0.3% THC.

The public availability of lab results for CBD products is the single largest differentiator between CBD and other supplements. In most industries, resellers or customers do not expect to see lab results or Certificates of Authenticity (COA). In the CBD industry, the sheer volume of dishonest vendors who create products with low quality CBD or none at all, mold, chemical solvents and inaccurate label claims has forced third party lab results to become a necessity. If you’re interested in learning more about CBD lab tests, how they’re performed, and what they’re required for, read on.

CBD Lab Testing and The Law

Lab Testing was not legally required in the early days of the CBD industry. There were legitimate CBD companies selling real CBD products, but there were also CBD manufacturers who put hempseed oil in bottles and called it “CBD”. Unfortunately, plenty of them still exist on Amazon. To combat this fraud, legitimate CBD brands began employing third party laboratories to verify that their products contained actual CBD and ensured accurate dosage claims on the packaging.

In the interest of maintaining transparency for CBD manufacturers and ensuring consumer safety, CBD Lab testing requirements would later become law in many states. It’s worth noting that in order for a supplement like CBD to be FDA and GMP compliant, this material testing has always been required.

By 2019, more than half of the US states enacted legislation requiring CBD lab testing. Within the last 2 years, these requirements have become nearly universal. The laws specify that CBD and CBD products must undergo testing at state-approved, ISO-17025 certified labs.

The ISO-17025 certification is awarded by the International Organization for Standardization, an independent and respected auditing group. The 17025 certification in particular applies to “Testing and Calibration Laboratories”. Its purpose is to ensure a laboratory can operate competently and generate results that are consistent from batch to batch.

CBD Lab Testing is an opportunity for you to prove that your products are of the highest quality.

If you are a Private Label CBD or White Label CBD company, Beyond Botanicals can help you procure the testing necessary for commercial sales of your product. In fact, we even arrange for the tests to feature your logo and contact details so you can proudly claim your products meet the highest quality standards while remaining true to your branding.

Types of CBD Lab Tests

The specific lab tests that need to be performed on CBD products vary by state. Some states require tests that measure for heavy metals and microbiological contamination, whereas others leave the minimum requirement at cannabinoid testing (CBD levels). Nearly all reputable labs use some version of HPLC – High Performance Liquid Chromatography – for their testing procedures. This technique is widely agreed to be the most accurate for testing cannabinoid products.

Here are the most common lab tests for CBD products:

  • Cannabinoid testing: assesses the concentrations of CBD as well asTHC and secondary compounds like CBG, and CBN. CBD products must contain less than 0.3% THC by weight under federal law.
  • Terpene testing: Assesses the presence of terpenes like limonene, linalool, and caryophyllene. These are the compounds that make each cannabis cultivar unique by creating its unforgettable scent.
  • Residual Solvents (VOC) testing: This test searches for the solvents – otherwise known as Volatile Organic Compounds – used in most extractions. It identifies clean versus contaminated extracts.
  • Mycotoxin testing: These are naturally occurring toxins that can be created by mold which has contaminated food. The presence of unsafe mycotoxin indicates contaminated materials and is grounds for disposing of a product.
  • Heavy Metals: This includes metals like lead, mercury, and arsenic that hemp could absorb while growing.
  • Pathogens/Microbiology: This test searches for bacteria, yeast, mold, E. coli, and Salmonella, all classic food contaminants.
  • Pesticides: This test confirms the validity of organic growing claims by searching for a range of common pesticides.

Raw Materials Testing

Most states’ hemp laws do not explicitly require any sort of raw material testing when it comes to the ingredients used in your CBD products. However, they do require these tests be performed on the hemp crop itself before and at harvest time.

Any GMP compliant manufacturer is obligated to perform identity and contaminant testing on their raw materials prior to allowing them into production. This is an extra level of diligence and safety that you can’t expect from any manufacturer lacking their GMP certification.

Bella Beaker Hemp
microscope for cbd lab test

CBD Manufacturing, Testing, and Traceability

At Beyond Botanicals, we guarantee uncompromising quality from seed to shelf.

As CBD industry veterans, we have uncompromising expectations for CBD products. Independent, third party lab tests form the foundation of this quality. But, quality means nothing without traceability.

When you work with us to develop your product line, each product will receive a unique identifier. This identifier is used to create a batch number, applied to every item in a production run. When you receive your third party test results, they will prominently display that batch number, allowing your customers to match the bottle in their hands to the accurate result. This traceability leads to increased peace of mind for your clients, and less redundant document hunting for your team.

Each certificate also includes a QR code, so that your clients can scan it and view the master copy of the result directly on the lab’s website. Many states now require product labels to have a QR code linking to lab results as well. Our label design team can help incorporate these codes into your labels to ensure you comply with as many state laws as possible.

Work With Beyond Botanicals

Private Label CBD

Beyond Botanicals is one of the leading Private Label CBD manufacturing consultants in the US. We can create your own unique product line to meet your rigorous requirements, all the while guiding you through the process of starting your own CBD business.

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White Label CBD

White Labeling CBD products is the fastest way for you to launch your own CBD company. You will choose from a best-selling selection of premium CBD products, then work with our team to design and apply great looking branded labels. All the reward of your own line, without the overhead!

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