How to read a certificate of analysis

What a COA is

A certificate of analysis is a lab report for a single production lot. It lists each test performed, the method used, the specification the product had to meet, and the result. If a brand can’t show you one, that tells you something.

1. Match the lot

Find the lot number on the base of your jar and make sure it matches the certificate. A COA for a different lot — or a “typical” COA with no lot at all — says nothing about what’s in your hands.

2. Identity

Is the peptide actually what the label says? Identity is usually confirmed by HPLC paired with mass spectrometry, which checks both how the molecule behaves and its exact mass. The result should read “conforms.”

3. Purity and content

Purity, measured by HPLC, tells you how much of the peptide material is the intended peptide rather than fragments or by-products. We release lots at 98% or higher^*. Content — sometimes called assay — confirms each chew carries the amount on the label, within a tight range.

4. Contaminants

Heavy metals (lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury) are tested by ICP-MS. Microbial testing screens for bacteria, yeast and mold. Injectable products should also show sterility and endotoxin results.

A “typical” certificate is a brochure, not a test result.

5. Who did the testing

Look for an independent laboratory accredited to ISO/IEC 17025, named on the certificate, with a test date. Red flags: no lab named, no date, results without methods, or specifications that simply say “pass.”