How CBD Is Tested for Quality

How CBD Is Tested for Quality

In a continually growing retail and wholesale CBD industry, more and more companies are beginning to implement testing techniques for quality assurance. But these testing protocols aren’t government-mandated. Actually, the FDA has declared CBD a dietary supplement ingredient, and therefore it doesn’t need to qualify for efficacy or safety.

With all of that being said, state governments haven’t failed to take note of the economic opportunism taking place at the hands of CBD. Certain states, such as California and Utah, have already begun implementing their own CBD testing regulations. In these states, each product has to pass analyses criteria for pesticides, heavy metals, microbials, and cannabinoid content. 

In addition to state-mandated testing for CBD products, some companies are also just taking the initiative upon themselves. What better way to acquire the trust of customers than to offer them a certificate of analysis before they even ask for it? The incorrect labeling and advertising of CBD products has caused a lot of suspicion and distrust in consumers, and one of the only ways to mitigate this problem is with quality testing.

Testing for Cannabinoid Content and Pesticides: HPLC and Spectral Analysis

A lot of the techniques used for testing cannabinoid content are very similar to the techniques used to separate cannabinoids in a mixture. One such testing technique is high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). As the name suggests, it’s a form of chromatography that can be used to separate all of the constituent compounds inside a mixture. Once they are separated, a spectral analysis is performed to identify and quantify them.

This is used for three reasons:

• When it comes to hemp-derived CBD products, they must contain less than 0.3% THC. HPLC helps to determine that the hemp sample passes this requirement.

• HPLC also makes it possible to determine the exact concentration of CBD in a sample. 

• HPLC also determines any pesticides or chemicals used in the growing process that has ended up in the final sample.

Depending on at what stage in the production process the HPLC and spectral analysis is taking place, different things are tested. For example, in a specimen of hemp flower, scientists aren’t looking for THC or CBD. This is because these cannabinoids are the result of degeneration by heat (otherwise known as decarboxylation). Rather, scientists will be looking for THCA and CBDA. These are the compounds present in a specimen of hemp before it has been decarboxylated.

If a CBD oil, tincture or isolated cannabinoid powder (such as THC or CBD distillate) is being analyzed, chemists will be searching for the active compound: THC or CBD. This is because the product has already undergone decarboxylation, and therefore THC and CBD can be detected.

Testing For Purity: Solvent Analysis

Every third-party laboratory should also perform a solvent analysis. This helps to identify any contaminants that are left over as a part of the extraction process. Many CBD product manufacturers use solvents to extract CBD such as alcohol, butane and hexane. Depending on the amount of care taken during the extraction process, there are sometimes residual amounts of solvent left in the final product. And some of these solvents are neurotoxins.

California, for example, has residual solvent regulations for cannabis. There is a limit of 290µg/g for hexane according to Californian regulations. Any cannabis product sample that contains a higher concentration of hexane doesn’t pass regulations, and therefore isn’t allowed on the shelves.

Testing for Microbials, Yeast and Mold

Finally, a sample undergoes testing for mycotoxins, which are different microbials present in soil that can pose a health threat to consumers. This includes yeasts and molds that are also dangerous to human health. 

Typically, chromatography or a fluorometer is used to detect the presence of mycotoxins, yeasts and molds. Other techniques can also be used to detect common yeasts and molds if they are already identified as being common in the cannabis industry.

At the end of all the probing and testing, a testing facility provides a document that states the concentration of each of the things listed in this article. This is the document that is provided to the customer. Aside from squashing some customer distrust, cannabis testing prepares companies for the future of cannabis, which will likely include strict regulations about labeling, toxins and cannabinoid content.