“Lab tested” is on every 7-OH label, which has made “lab tested” mean nothing. The difference is in the document — the certificate of analysis, or COA. This post shows you what a COA actually contains, line by line, so you can tell a real one from a decorative one.
What a COA is
A COA is a laboratory’s signed report for a specific sample of a specific batch. It states what was tested, what method was used, what was found, and who signed it. The key word is “specific”: a real COA is tied to a lot number you can hold in your hand. A COA with no lot number, no date, or no lab name is a marketing image, not a document. Our per-batch process is described on the lab testing page.
The lines that matter
- Sample / lot identification: the lot number, the sample date, and the lab. If these are missing, the report does not identify anything — put it down.
- Identity testing: confirmation that the sample is what it claims to be (in 7-OH products, confirmation of 7-hydroxymitragynine by the lab’s identity method). This is the line that separates a verified product from a powder with a label.
- Potency / content: the measured 7-OH percentage or milligrams. This is the number your label’s claim is supposed to match — and it is the line buyers should compare against the pack’s printed strength.
- Contaminant screening: the tested-for list (microbials, heavy metals, residual solvents, depending on the panel) and the results against action limits. “Not detected” is the result you want to see.
- Signatures and dates: the analyst, the reviewer, and the report date. Unsigned reports are drafts.
What a COA does not prove
Two honest caveats. First, a COA describes the batch it tested — it does not certify every pack the manufacturer has ever shipped, which is why per-batch testing (rather than per-product testing) is the standard to hold sellers to. Second, a COA is not a safety endorsement: it tells you what was measured, not what the substance will do to you. The risk picture is the same for every 7-OH product regardless of paperwork — which is why the compliance page, side effects guide and responsible use guide exist alongside the documentation.
How to use a COA as a buyer
Match the lot number on your pack to the report; compare the measured potency to the printed strength; confirm the contaminant lines read “not detected” or below action limits; and file the report with the lot number. If a seller cannot produce documentation for the specific lot you hold, you now know what that means. The full verification routine — including the packaging and seller checks — is in how to verify your order.