Understanding COAs: What to Look For

What is a Certificate of Analysis?

A Certificate of Analysis (COA) is a document from a third-party laboratory that verifies the identity, purity, and quality of a peptide product. It's the most important indicator of product legitimacy.

Essential Components of a Valid COA

1. Laboratory Information

• Name and address of the testing laboratory
• Contact information (phone, email, website)
• Laboratory accreditation details
• Date of analysis

2. Product Identification

• Peptide name (e.g., BPC-157, Semaglutide)
• Batch/lot number matching your product
• Supplier name
• Sample identification number

3. Testing Methods

Legitimate COAs should include results from:

• HPLC (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography): Measures purity percentage
• Mass Spectrometry (MS): Confirms molecular weight and identity
• Amino Acid Analysis: Verifies peptide sequence

4. Purity Results

• Overall purity percentage (should be ≥95% for research grade)
• Main peak percentage from HPLC
• Identified impurities (if any)

5. Identity Confirmation

• Molecular weight (expected vs. observed)
• Mass spectrum data
• Pass/fail result for identity test

How to Verify a COA

Check the Laboratory

1. Google the laboratory name and verify it exists
2. Call the lab to confirm they issued the document
3. Check if the lab specialises in peptide analysis
4. Look for ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation

Verify Batch Numbers

The batch number on your product should exactly match the batch number on the COA. Different batch numbers mean the COA doesn't apply to your product.

Check Freshness

COAs should be relatively recent (within 1-2 years). Very old COAs might indicate old stock or recycled documents.

Red Flags in COAs

• Generic or template-looking documents
• No laboratory contact information
• Batch number doesn't match your product
• Suspiciously perfect results (exactly 100% purity)
• Missing testing methods or equipment details
• Poor quality scans or obvious image manipulation
• Same COA used for multiple different batches

What Good Purity Looks Like

• Research Grade: 95-98% purity
• Pharmaceutical Grade: 98%+ purity
• Acceptable Range: Small variations between batches are normal

Questions to Ask Your Supplier

1. "Can you provide the COA for this specific batch?"
2. "Which laboratory performed the testing?"
3. "Can I contact the lab to verify this COA?"
4. "Do you test every batch or use representative sampling?"

Conclusion

A legitimate COA is your best protection against fake or contaminated peptides. Always request and verify COAs before purchasing, and never accept products without proper documentation. When in doubt, contact the testing laboratory directly.