A Certificate of Analysis (COA) is a lab report that shows what is actually in a CBD product. In Florida, every hemp extract product must have a COA from an independent, ISO/IEC 17025-accredited lab. The COA must confirm the batch has no more than 0.3% total Delta-9 THC and no contaminants unsafe for human consumption. At Growing In Health Florida in Naples, FL 34119, you can ask to see the COA for any product before you buy.
Quick answers
A widely cited study in JAMA tested 84 CBD products from 31 companies sold online (JAMA 2017 study on CBD labeling accuracy). Here is what it found:
| Result | Share of products |
|---|---|
| Accurately labeled (within 10% of the label) | 30.95% (26 of 84) |
| Contained more CBD than labeled | 42.85% (36 of 84) |
| Contained less CBD than labeled | 26.19% (22 of 84) |
| THC detected | 21.43% (18 of 84) |
That is why a COA matters. It is the only way to confirm a product contains what its label says. The researchers counted results within 10% of the label as accurate. Both of the lab reports we walk through below fall inside that range.
Under Florida Statute 581.217, hemp extract can only be sold in Florida if it meets these rules:
| Requirement | What the law says |
|---|---|
| Certificate of Analysis | Prepared by an independent testing laboratory |
| Lab independence | The lab can have no direct or indirect interest in the product’s company, and must be ISO/IEC 17025 accredited |
| THC limit | The tested batch did not exceed 0.3% total Delta-9 THC |
| Contaminants | The batch contains no contaminants unsafe for human consumption |
| QR code or barcode | On the container, linked to that batch’s COA |
| Batch number | Printed on the container |
| Website | An address where you can get batch information |
| Expiration date | Printed on the container |
| Cannabinoids per serving | Milligrams of each marketed cannabinoid per serving |
| Packaging | Child-resistant, not attractive to children, and designed to limit light and heat exposure |
If a product is missing any of these, ask questions before you buy it.
| Potency-only COA | Full-panel COA | |
|---|---|---|
| Cannabinoids (CBD, THC, CBN, CBG) | Yes | Yes |
| Total Delta-9 THC check | Yes | Yes |
| Pesticides | No | Yes |
| Heavy metals | No | Yes |
| Microbials (bacteria, mold) | No | Yes |
| Mycotoxins | No | Yes |
| Residual solvents | No | Yes |
A potency-only report tells you how much CBD and THC is in the product, but not whether it is clean. Florida law requires the COA to confirm the batch has no contaminants unsafe for human consumption, so look for the full panel.
Here is what our Chill Mixed Berry syrup lab report shows, section by section:
| COA section | What our Chill Mixed Berry report shows | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Lab name | Delta 9 Analytical, LLC | An independent lab, not the brand itself |
| Dates | Received October 4, 2024, reported October 14, 2024 | A recent report that matches the product’s batch |
| Label claim | 400 mg Delta-9 THC per bottle, 5 mg per serving | The amount the brand says is in the product |
| Measured potency | 2.635 mg of Delta-9 THC per gram, about 435 mg in the 165 g sample tested | Results close to the label claim. This one measured about 9% above the label. |
| Other cannabinoids | CBD 0.1233 mg per gram. CBN not detected | Shows whether minor cannabinoids are present |
| Pesticides | None detected (one compound below the lab’s limit of quantitation) | “ND” (not detected) or results within limits |
| Heavy metals | Lead 0.01 ppm, arsenic 0.03 ppm, chromium 0.09 ppm, all within the report’s limits | Every metal within its listed limit |
| Microbials, mycotoxins, residual solvents | Not detected | “ND” across the board |
Our Euphoria Green Apple syrup report, from the same lab and the same dates, shows the same pattern. It lists a 400 mg label claim, measured 2.565 mg per gram (about 423 mg in the 165 g sample, roughly 6% above the label), and no contaminants above limits.
Some COAs list Delta-9 THC and THCA separately. THCA turns into Delta-9 THC when heated, so labs combine them using this standard formula:
Total THC = Delta-9 THC + (THCA × 0.877)
For example, a product with 0.20% Delta-9 THC and 0.10% THCA has 0.20 + (0.10 × 0.877) = 0.2877% total THC. That is within the 0.3% hemp limit.
COAs usually report potency in mg/g (milligrams per gram). To estimate how much is in one serving:
mg per serving = mg/g on the COA × serving weight in grams
For example, a 4-gram gummy tested at 6.25 mg/g of CBD contains about 25 mg of CBD. Florida also requires the label to list the milligrams of each marketed cannabinoid per serving, so compare the two.
Use this checklist at any CBD shop, including ours:
For what the front of the package should tell you, read how to read a CBD product label.
“Pure CBD oil” usually refers to CBD isolate, a product with CBD and no other cannabinoids. “Full spectrum” products contain a range of hemp cannabinoids, including small amounts of THC. “Broad spectrum” products contain several cannabinoids with the THC removed. A COA shows which one you are buying, because it lists every cannabinoid the lab measured. Learn more about full spectrum, broad spectrum and isolate CBD.
Our CBD and hemp products are hemp-derived, and COAs are available for our tinctures, gummies, topicals, hemp syrups and pet products. Browse the CBD products on our Naples shelves, or visit our CBD store in Naples, FL at 7211 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, Suite 3, Naples, FL 34119. We are open Monday to Saturday 10 AM to 8 PM and Sunday 12 PM to 5 PM. Call or text (239) 331-4807.
A COA is a test report from an independent lab. It shows the cannabinoid content of a specific product batch, its Delta-9 THC level, and its results for contaminants such as pesticides, heavy metals, microbials, mycotoxins and residual solvents.
Yes. Under Florida Statute 581.217, hemp extract can only be sold with a COA from an independent, ISO/IEC 17025-accredited lab. The container must have a QR code or barcode linked to it.
Scan the QR code on the container, match the batch number to the COA, and check that the report comes from an independent lab, not the brand. The lab name and report date should be clearly listed.
ND means “not detected.” The lab did not find that compound at or above its detection limit.
Not always. In a 2017 JAMA study of 84 CBD products sold online, only 30.95% were labeled within 10% of their actual CBD content, and 21.43% contained THC.
A potency-only COA shows cannabinoid amounts. A full-panel COA also tests for pesticides, heavy metals, microbials, mycotoxins and residual solvents.
Total THC = Delta-9 THC + (THCA × 0.877). Florida caps total Delta-9 THC at 0.3% for hemp.
LOQ stands for limit of quantitation, the smallest amount a lab can measure reliably. “Below LOQ” means a trace too small to measure.
It is the international accreditation standard for testing laboratories. Florida requires hemp extract COAs to come from an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited independent lab.
Yes. Full spectrum CBD products can legally contain small amounts of THC, up to the 0.3% total Delta-9 THC limit. The COA shows the exact amount.
Pure CBD oil usually means CBD isolate, which contains CBD without other cannabinoids. Check the COA to confirm what a product contains.
Yes. Ask our staff for the COA on any product at our Naples store, 7211 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, Suite 3, Naples, FL 34119.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Talk with your healthcare provider before use, especially if you take medication or are pregnant.
