ANALYTICAL TESTING
How to read a certificate of analysis
8 min · UPDATED 2026-02-12
What a COA does and does not tell you, which fields matter, and how to match a report to a physical batch.
The fields that matter
A useful COA identifies the material, the batch or lot, the test date, the method used, the result and the laboratory responsible for the analysis.
A report that cannot be matched to the batch printed on the vial does not evidence that vial.
What a COA is not
A certificate of analysis is a laboratory test record. It is not a government approval, a licence, a marketing authorisation or a certification of any kind.
Sources
- Add analytical standards reference — Reference pending
This entry is educational and research information. It is not medical advice and does not describe use in humans or animals.