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 prevalence of CBD lab testing is perhaps the single largest factor that makes CBD products different from other products. In most industries, resellers or customers do not expect to see lab results or Certificates of Authenticity (COA). In CBD, the sheer volume of dishonest vendors who create products with low quality CBD, mold, chemical solvents and inaccurate labeling of CBD content has forced third party lab results to become a necessity. In 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

CBD 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 coconut oil in bottles and called it “CBD”. To combat this fraud, legitimate CBD brands began independent CBD Lab Testing to verify that their products contained “real” 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.

By 2019, more than half of the US states required CBD lab testing. Within the last 2 years, CBD Lab Testing has become nearly universal. These laws specify that CBD and CBD products must undergo testing at state-approved or a ISO-17025 certified labs in lieu of no state-approved options.

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.

We’re CBD manufacturers in the US and our products are sold nationwide. For us CBD Lab Testing is an opportunity for us to prove that our products are of the highest quality. Our results show that we walk the talk. And what is that talk, you might ask? Premium ingredients including fresh, raw hemp extract, grown for us on small regional farms. We are consistently proud of our lab results and invite you to review our downloadable results by clicking here.

If you are a Private Label CBD or White Label CBD company, Beyond Botanicals will work with an independent lab on your behalf to procure the testing necessary for commercial sales of your product – when we sell it to you, and you sell it to your to customers. In fact, we even arrange for the tests to feature your logo and 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 number of lab tests that need to be performed on CBD varies 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 as secondary compounds like THC, 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, and create each 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. These are particularly important for inhaled CBD Vape products.
  • 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.
  • 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 do not explicitly require any sort of raw material testing when it comes to CBD products. However, they do require these tests be performed on crop before and at harvest time. Any GMP compliant manufacturer, like us, 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 beyond a non-compliant manufacturer. However, to your customers it won’t be as important. Rightfully so, their focus will be on the finished product testing available to them.

Bella Beaker Hemp
microscope for cbd lab test

CBD Manufacturing & Testing – What is CBD Lab Testing and How it Works

By manufacturing our own CBD products from raw hemp extract, we ensure quality and purity from seed to shelf.

As a CBD manufacturer in the United States, we test each of our raw material batches in addition to finished product. Since each finished product has to meet a target amount of CBD, it’s crucial for us to understand what amount of CBD is in our extractions. That determines how much raw material to add to a blend.

As we create batches of finished product, they are assigned a batch number and best used by date. This batch number will correspond to the information on the certificate of analysis, allowing your customers to match the bottle in their hands to the proper result. There is a growing trend among state laws for product labels to have a QR code linking to these 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.

The FDA does have a provision to extend the best-by dates on product labels by performing additional shelf life testing, however this is often cost prohibitive for all but the largest of batches. Because of this, the initial lab test is almost always sufficient for the lifespan of your product. 

So, to answer the question “What is CBD Lab Testing?” it is the most comprehensive way to have quality assured CBD products that have the intended and advertised potency without harmful byproducts. This helps customers to trust your company as the best source for their CBD self-care products.

See OUR LAB RESULTS

Work With Beyond Botanicals

 

Private Label CBD

Beyond Botanicals is one of the leading Private Label CBD manufacturers 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 probably the fastest way for you to launch your own CBD company. You can choose from our best-selling selection of premium CBD products and wrap them in your own brand and labels.

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Wholesale CBD

Are you looking for best-selling products to line your retail shelves or eCommerce store? How about bulk CBD capsules or bulk raw hemp oil? Beyond Botanicals has a robust Wholesale CBD program that will take care of your CBD supply needs.

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