By MBF and 400 River
Now that the cultivation and sale of recreational cannabis is legalized here in New York, we have access to tested final products. Every cannabis product that is sold here has been tested by a state-licensed lab. On the production side, testing ensures that we are distributing a safe and effective product. Also, we want to be as accurate as possible when reporting information about the product to a consumer. For consumers, testing allows you to see exactly what is in what you are consuming. Since there can be limited space on a lot of cannabis labels, reading a product’s test results can really fill you in. In this article, I’d like to discuss how a typical lab pickup goes for a cultivator and how to read a Certificate of Analysis (COA) for a cannabis product.
Compliant Lab Pickups
We just had a lab pickup today, which is why I thought it would be interesting to talk a little bit about what a lab pickup entails. First and foremost, everything goes through our seed-to-sale tracking system, called Metrc. While it took a while to get used to, it is actually a lot easier and more accurate to submit items for lab testing now that Metrc is used, in my opinion. There’s less of a chance of someone accidentally writing the wrong information, and it really helps with record-keeping.
The first step to a lab pickup is to know what product you are going to be sending to the lab and prepare the lot. Lot sizes for a run of cannabis products can look really different depending on the scale of the operation. We can go from less than 500 units for a very small production batch, or you can have up to 150,000 units in a batch. (Our latest flower drop is only about 100 units!) Depending on the type of product you’re sending to the lab, in some cases the entire batch needs to be prepared before anything is sent to the lab. This is the case for pre-rolls and gummies. We package some of the products so the lab representative can randomly choose which units they take for testing.
While the lab rep is at the facility, they have a bit of paperwork to fill out for the items going to be tested. They need to make sure that they have the lot numbers for the products and how many final units should be produced. They also ensure that the product is going in for the correct tests. Cultivator and processors can send out their products for Research and Development testing. A full panel R&D will include all pertinent information that a final full compliance test will include. You can also choose specific tests if you want to drill down to some individual metrics. Once the R&D test is completed, you cannot sell the tested item. For sellable items, the cultivator then sends in more products for a Full Compliance test.
When the lab representative chooses products for testing, they then place them in a plastic bag marked with the lot information. This is kept in a temperature-controlled environment that is also tamper-evident. They leave with a transportation manifest citing the route they take back to the testing facility, the products they have, and the vehicle information. To further ensure no funny business is taking place, all of the lab pickups are video recorded and held onto by the cultivator.
Depending on the product you are sending out for testing and how quick the lab turnaround is, we generally expect results back within 2 weeks. For certain products, it has been a lot faster, but we do not expect that. Once a product passes Full Compliance testing, you are issued a Certificate of Analysis.
How to read a COA
Having a COA is like having a key to understanding a lot more about the cannabis product you are about to ingest.
First, you need to find the COA! Now that we have fully transitioned to Metrc, if you scan the Retail ID QR code on a product, you will have a link to a full COA. Some processors have COA landing pages on their website, but most have migrated directly to using the Metrc Retail ID. The first page gives you information that has to be reported on the cannabis product itself. You’ve got information about both the testing facility and the cultivator or processor. There’s the lot number, serving sizes, and cannabinoid analysis. I always love to read the detailed cannabinoid breakdown of the plant I am consuming. Naturally, there is THC, but that is really just the beginning. Our lab lists CBD, CBG, CBC, THCV, and other minor cannabinoids that help contribute to the experience you have when consuming.
Next comes another great indicator about the experience your cannabis product will have—the terpenes! There is a list of over 30 cannabinoids that the product may contain and their concentrations. Looking at one of our most recent flower COAs, I’m seeing results listed for six different cannabinoids. The larger the percentage of total terpenes, the more flavorful your experience will be. Since terps also have a huge impact on how cannabis makes you feel, knowing what terpenes do what can help guide you towards the correct product. Some cultivators make the decision to advertise terpene results on their packaging since savvy consumers will want to know.
The next page of our COA is all about pesticides. There are strict regulations and limits on what pesticides can be used in the production of cannabis here in NY. The COA continues on to list mycotoxins, which are produced by mold and fungi. There is testing for heavy metals like lead, arsenic, and mercury. Sources of heavy metal contamination can be from water, soil, or inputs. A Full Compliance test will also test for different microbiological contaminants. Aspergillus is a common cause of lab failures. This is a mold that is incredibly common, but can cause illness when ingested. You can also see the total aerobic bacteria, yeast, and mold counts in the product. Products are tested for moisture content and water activity. And to conclude the COA, we have filth and foreign material, none of which we want to find in our cannabis products.
