The first thing you look for in a test result is the cannabinoid profile. The cannabinoids you expect to find depend on the type of CBD product you are looking at.

A full-spectrum product should have CBD, THC, and some of the lesser-known cannabinoids. If the product's label says that the product is full-spectrum, but you find the certificate of analysis containing only one cannabinoid, then something is amiss.

CBD lab results for broad-spectrum products should show all other cannabinoids and compounds except for THC. The other category is CBD isolates, which contain CBD and nothing else. You may know there is something amiss with whatever product whose analysis you are reading if there is a discrepancy between the manufacturers' claims and the report.

The other thing to look out for is the terpene profile of the product. All full and broad-spectrum products should contain some terpenes. Isolates should contain no terpenes at all.

The level of terpenes in the analyzed product should be expressed in parts per million (PPM).

Heavy metal screening is another important aspect of the testing. The analysis shows the level of heavy metals such as mercury, cadmium, arsenic, lead, and so on. Some or all the metals can be found in the product, but their quantities must be within healthy limits. The report gives a status on whether the level is acceptable or not. Take care to note what the status shows.

Other tests include microbiology screening, which establishes whether the product is free of harmful microbes such as salmonella, E-coli, molds, and yeast.

Mycotoxin screening establishes whether the product has fungi contamination such as aflatoxins and ochratoxin.

The other things the analysis tests for are pesticides and solvent residue. Solvent residue testing applies where the method employed in obtaining the hemp extract involves the use of a solvent. There would be significant quantities of solvent residue if the solvent wasn't distilled properly after an extraction.

CO2 method doesn't use solvents, and if the manufacturer claims that they used it to extract their hemp, there should be zero solvent their lab-tested CBD oil or other products.

The quantity of pesticides in the products should be within acceptable limits. The report should indicate whether the product is suitable for human consumption based on the quantity of pesticides found.

The importance of third-party testing for CBD products can't be gainsaid since it gives the user confidence that the information they receive on the product is genuine. The customer needs to know what levels of which component are safe and unsafe. If you find a significant discrepancy between the manufacturers' claims and what the certificate of analysis says, you are better off looking for a different product.

Source: LabManager