How to Read a Kratom Certificate of Analysis (COA)

A Certificate of Analysis, or COA, is the document that proves a kratom batch was tested and what the results were. Knowing how to read one turns "lab tested" from a marketing phrase into something you can actually verify. Here is how to make sense of a COA section by section.

What a COA Is

A COA is a report issued by a laboratory summarizing the test results for a specific batch of material. For kratom, it documents the alkaloid content and the results of contaminant screening. The key idea is that a COA is tied to a specific batch, so it should match the product you are actually buying.

The Header: Identity and Traceability

Start at the top. A proper COA identifies the product and the batch or lot number, the name of the testing laboratory, and the date of testing. Check that the batch number and product name correspond to what you are buying and that the test date is reasonably recent. A COA with no batch number, no lab name, or no date is weak evidence.

Alkaloid Results

This section reports the measured concentration of the primary alkaloids, typically mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, usually expressed as a percentage. This confirms the material's profile and lets you compare consistency across batches. There is no single "correct" number, but the values should be present, clearly reported, and consistent with the strain described.

Contaminant Panels

A complete COA includes screening for contaminants, generally in two groups:

Heavy metals. Look for entries such as lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury, each with a result and, ideally, a pass or fail status against a limit.

Microbials. Look for pathogens and spoilage organisms such as salmonella, E. coli, total yeast and mold, and total plate count, again with results and pass or fail indicators.

The ideal outcome is a clear "Pass" across these panels, showing contaminants are below the relevant thresholds.

Red Flags to Watch For

Be cautious if a COA is missing a batch number, does not name the laboratory, has no date or is clearly outdated, only reports alkaloids while omitting contaminant panels, or appears to be a generic document reused across many products. Any of these undercuts the whole point of a COA, which is batch-specific, independent verification.

How to Use a COA When Buying

Before purchasing, ask the vendor for the COA that matches the batch you will receive. A confident, transparent supplier will provide it. If you would like the broader context on why this matters, see our guide to third-party lab testing.

Verified Botanicals

Verified Botanicals maintains batch-level testing and can provide a Certificate of Analysis on request for every product. All products are sold in Canada strictly for botanical reference, educational, and research purposes.

Not intended for human consumption. Sold for botanical reference, educational, or research purposes only. Keep out of reach of children and pets.