Testing & COAs: What Norene’s Farmacy Looks For

A COA can be useful, but a PDF with numbers on it is not automatically proof of quality. We look at what was tested, which lot was tested, who performed the testing, and whether the document actually matches the product being sold.

Identity

For herbs, the scientific species, plant part, and ingredient identity matter. Common names alone can be misleading.

Potency or composition

When a product makes a standardized-content claim, we look for testing that supports the stated amount or concentration when appropriate.

Contaminants

Depending on the ingredient and product type, relevant testing may include heavy metals, microbes, pesticides, residual solvents, mycotoxins, allergens, or other contaminants.

Lot matching

Whenever possible, testing should correspond to the actual production lot rather than a generic document that never changes.

Laboratory credibility

We prefer documentation from qualified independent laboratories and want enough detail to understand the method, result, and acceptance limits.

What a COA does not prove

A COA does not prove that a product treats a disease, that the dose is clinically effective, or that every claim on a label is supported.

Before a product goes live

Supplier quality, testing, claims, fulfillment, pricing, and customer experience are reviewed together. One good document does not override a weak product.