Laboratory testing – How CBD Oil is tested for purity & contamination
Lab tested CBD Oil means you can trust that the manufacturer has undergone standard tests to ensure the product is exactly what it’s claimed to be. It protects you legally as a wholesale buyer but it does have it’s limitations, it’s often a good idea to get your own tests done just to be sure.
Lab testing for purity:
All products available through CBD Oil Europe have been lab tested for purity. A test consists of 3 parts:
Cannabinoid profile:
The cannabinoid profile displays the amount of Cannabidiol and other cannabinoids (CBDa, CBN, CBG, etc.).
Terpene profile:
The terpenes are an important part of the product and their composition should be exactly monitored. Terpene profiles focus on the 10 or 20 most important terpenes, the most well known of which are Myrcene, Pinene, Lemonene and Carophyllene. The list is not exhaustive: a total of 200 terpenes have been found to be present in the hemp plant, although the majority is present only in trace amounts. Terpenes are an important part of the plants profile and scientists have much to learn about their interactions.
Contamination testing:
Because hemp is a bio-accumulator (it absorbs contaminants from the earth), it is very important to test extracts for contamination. A complete test must always include the following:
1. heavy metal test. Hemp plants absorb heavy metals such as mercury or lead from the soil if they are present there. Therefore, a complete heavy metal contamination check must be done regularly on all hemp extracts.
2. Herbicides, pesticides and fungicides. Hemp crops that are used for producing CBD extracts should be grown without the use of herbicides, pesticides or fungicides. These chemicals are toxic for people and will be concentrated in the final product during the extraction process.
3. Microbial contamination. The last part of the laboratory test checks for any bacterial or fungal contamination of the product.
Is all Lab Tested CBD the same?
It’s very important to make sure all products are subjected to these 3 kinds of tests on a regular basis, and not only for cannabinoid content.
We have seen cases where products were marketed without being properly tested. Also, it is not enough to only test for cannabinoids, although such cases can be found on the market still. Worse, products can still be found that do not have the cannabinoid content advertised on the packaging. Cutting corners like this can be very profitable for bad actors, and so it’s important for companies and consumers to make sure all tests were properly executed when looking to purchase CBD products.
Reputable CBD companies have their own in-house HPLC testing machines, and regularly use third party laboratories to make sure their test results are accurate and up-to-date.
Cannabinoid Testing Laboratories
Check out our article for cannabinoid testing in europe: list of testing laboratories
