Certificate of Analysis (COA)

A certificate of analysis, or COA, is a document issued by a testing laboratory that lists the results of tests performed on a specific batch of a product. COAs are used across the food, supplement, cosmetic and chemical industries so buyers and regulators can see what was measured and whether it met agreed standards.

What a COA usually includes

• Product details: product name and the batch or lot number tested.
• Lab details: the laboratory's name, address and accreditation (often ISO/IEC 17025).
• Dates: when the sample was received and when testing was completed.
• Results: each test, the method used, the measured result, the acceptable limit and a pass/fail outcome.
• Sign-off: the name or signature of the analyst or lab manager who approved it.

How to read one

Start by matching the batch number on the COA to the one printed on your package. Next, check who issued it: a report from an independent lab (see third-party lab testing) carries more weight than an in-house document. Then look at the results table. For mushroom products, shoppers often look for heavy-metal and microbial results, and sometimes for beta-glucan figures measured separately from starch.

Red flags

• No lab name or contact details.
• A batch number that does not match the package, or no batch number at all.
• Very old test dates for a product sold as fresh stock.
• Blurry, cropped or visibly edited documents.

Many labs let you confirm a report by contacting them or by scanning a QR code on the COA that links to their own website.

COAs and buying confidently

A COA is one of several tools for judging a product. For Polkadot, packaging checks matter too. Our guide on spotting authentic Polkadot chocolate bars explains what genuine Polkadot packaging looks like and how to avoid counterfeit bars. Questions about a specific product are always welcome through our contact page.