How to Read a Kratom Certificate of Analysis: A Practical Buyer’s Guide

A COA should answer a simple question: what was found in this specific sample?

A Certificate of Analysis, usually shortened to COA, is a laboratory report describing what a lab measured in a submitted sample. For a kratom product, a useful COA may report selected alkaloids, microorganisms, heavy metals or other contaminants.

The important word is sample. A COA does not automatically describe every package a company has ever sold. It is most useful when the report can be connected to the exact lot or batch printed on the product in your hand.

That is why reading a COA is not just a matter of finding the word “PASS.” A careful buyer checks the identity of the product, the identity of the laboratory, the test date, the methods, the units and the actual results.

Laboratory transparency matters because botanical materials can vary and contamination is possible. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration tested 30 kratom products for heavy metals and reported significant levels of lead and nickel in that sample set. FDA has also warned about kratom products contaminated with Salmonella. Those findings do not mean every kratom product has the same problem; they explain why batch-specific testing is worth checking. FDA heavy-metals analysis and FDA’s kratom information page.

The 60-second COA check

Before studying every number, look for these six items:

1. Product name: Does it identify the same type of product you purchased?
2. Lot or batch number: Does it match the code printed on the package?
3. Laboratory identity: Is the laboratory named, with a report or certificate number?
4. Dates: Are the sample-received, test and report dates shown?
5. Panels: Does the report include the tests you expected—not only alkaloid potency?
6. Actual results: Are values and units shown, instead of a marketing page that simply says “lab tested”?

If the lot does not match, the report may still be educational, but it is not strong evidence about your particular package. Ask the seller for the correct batch report.

1. Match the report to the product and batch

A trustworthy testing page should make it easy to move from the package to the correct document. Look for a QR code or typed lot number that leads to a report bearing the same identifier.

Common identifiers include:

• lot number;
• batch number;
• sample ID;
• laboratory report number; and
• product name or internal product code.

These identifiers do not always use the same format. The key is traceability: the company should be able to explain how the package, production record and laboratory sample connect.

Watch for reports that list only a broad label such as “green powder” with no lot, date or product identifier. That does not prove the report is false, but it makes the document much less useful to a customer.

2. Identify who performed the testing

The report should name the laboratory rather than presenting only the seller’s logo. Look for the lab’s address or contact information, a unique report number, and an authorized signature or electronic approval.

Many buyers also look for testing performed within an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited laboratory. ISO describes ISO/IEC 17025 as the international standard addressing the competence, impartiality and consistent operation of testing and calibration laboratories. Accreditation bodies use that standard when assessing laboratories. ISO/IEC 17025 overview.

Accreditation is not a magic stamp. Check whether the laboratory’s accredited scope covers the relevant testing. A lab may be accredited for some methods but not every analyte or product type. If the report displays an accreditation mark, the laboratory or accreditation body should be able to verify it.

3. Read the alkaloid panel carefully

Kratom COAs often report mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, sometimes written as 7-OH. A report may include additional alkaloids, but the number of compounds listed varies by method and laboratory.

Do not compare numbers until you compare the units. The following are not interchangeable without calculation:

• percent by weight;
• milligrams per gram (mg/g);
• milligrams per serving;
• milligrams per package;
• micrograms per gram (µg/g); and
• a percentage of the total alkaloid fraction.

For example, a result stated as a percentage of the entire product is different from a result stated as a percentage of all measured alkaloids. A package-level amount also depends on how much material is in the package.

Do not assume that a higher alkaloid number means a “better” product. A COA is a measurement document, not a recommendation and not evidence of a medical benefit.

4. Understand why the 7-OH line now requires extra attention

7-hydroxymitragynine can occur naturally in kratom leaf in trace amounts, but concentrated, enhanced and synthetic products have drawn separate federal and state action. The distinction between traditional botanical material and a concentrated or chemically altered article is important.

As of August 28, 2026, the federal position is moving quickly:

• On July 6, 2026, DEA published a notice of intent to temporarily place 7-OH above a specified threshold in Schedule I. The notice describes different threshold tests for botanical material and alternative articles, including a 0.050% threshold and, for certain alternative articles, a greater-than-1.00-milligram criterion. A notice of intent is not the same document as a final temporary scheduling order. Federal Register notice.
• Effective August 26, 2026, DEA separately placed mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15 and MGM-16 into Schedule I on a temporary basis. Federal Register temporary order.
• Colorado law separately prohibits synthesized or semi-synthesized kratom alkaloids and products in which 7-OH exceeds 2% of the alkaloid composition, among other restrictions. Colorado’s enacted law also contains age, labeling, product-form and adulteration rules. Colorado SB25-072.

Because status can change, a static article should not be treated as a permanent fifty-state legal chart. Kiody’s 7-OH Tracker should show a visible “last reviewed” date and link to the controlling government source.

For a buyer reading a COA, the practical lesson is simple: find the 7-OH result, identify the unit and measurement basis, and do not accept a vague “compliant” badge when the actual number is missing. If the seller cannot explain whether the reported value is percent of product weight, milligrams per article or percent of the alkaloid fraction, the result is not clear enough for a meaningful comparison.

5. Look beyond potency: microbiological testing

An alkaloid panel does not tell you whether the same sample was screened for microorganisms. A separate microbiological panel may include items such as:

• Salmonella;
• pathogenic E. coli;
• total aerobic microbial count;
• yeast and mold; or
• coliforms.

The exact panel and limits depend on the product, test method and applicable requirements. Some results are reported as Detected/Not Detected, while others use colony-forming units per gram, often written CFU/g.

Read the result and the acceptance limit together. “Less than 10 CFU/g” has a different meaning from “Not Detected in 25 g.” Do not assume that two reports used the same sample size or method merely because both say “PASS.”

6. Check the heavy-metals panel

A heavy-metals panel commonly lists lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury. Some reports include additional elements, such as nickel. Results may appear in parts per million, micrograms per gram or another unit.

The result alone is only one part of the picture. Potential exposure also depends on the amount consumed and how often it is consumed. That is one reason a report should disclose both the measured concentration and the laboratory or specification limit used for its pass/fail statement.

FDA’s analysis of 30 products found concerning lead and nickel levels in the products it examined. The correct takeaway is not that one color or strain is automatically clean or contaminated. The takeaway is that contaminant testing should be current, batch-connected and readable. FDA laboratory analysis.

7. Decode ND, LOD, LOQ and “Pass”

COAs use short laboratory terms that can be confusing:

• ND or Not Detected: The lab did not detect the analyte under that method’s reporting conditions. ND does not prove that the amount is absolutely zero.
• LOD — Limit of Detection: The smallest amount the method can reliably recognize as present.
• LOQ — Limit of Quantitation: The smallest amount the method can reliably measure as a number with defined performance.
• RL or Reporting Limit: The threshold at which the laboratory reports a numerical result; terminology varies by lab.
• Pass: The result met the specification or decision rule shown on the report.

A strong report either defines these terms or provides enough method information for the laboratory to explain them. If a report says only “PASS” without showing the result, limit or method, it leaves the customer unable to evaluate what was actually measured.

8. Check the dates and report status

Look for at least three dates when available:

• sample received;
• analysis performed; and
• report issued.

Also check whether the document says final, amended, revised or draft. If a report was amended, the laboratory should identify the revision. A test from years ago may describe an old source or old process rather than current inventory.

There is no universal expiration date that makes every COA invalid after the same number of months. The better question is whether the report matches the active lot and whether the company’s sampling and retesting schedule is appropriate for that product.

9. Know what a COA cannot prove

Even a detailed COA has limits. By itself, it does not prove:

• that every package was sampled;
• that the seller stored the product correctly after testing;
• that an untested contaminant is absent;
• that the product will affect every person the same way;
• that the product is approved by FDA;
• that the product treats a disease; or
• that the product is legal in every location.

FDA’s current position is that kratom is not lawfully marketed in the United States as a drug product, dietary supplement or food additive in conventional food. A lab report does not change that federal position or establish FDA approval. FDA and Kratom.

Questions a transparent seller should be able to answer

Before buying, consider asking:

1. Where is the lot number on the package?
2. Does this report match that exact lot?
3. Was the laboratory independent from the seller?
4. Which panels were run on this sample?
5. What methods and units were used?
6. What do ND, LOD, LOQ and the stated limits mean on this report?
7. Is the lab accredited for the relevant testing scope?
8. Has the report been revised or replaced?
9. How can a customer report a quality concern or adverse event?

A seller does not build trust by pretending every question has an easy answer. Trust grows when the company supplies the correct document, explains its limits and fixes mismatches quickly.

Frequently asked questions

Does “lab tested” mean FDA approved?

No. Laboratory testing and FDA approval are different things. A COA reports results for a sample; it does not establish FDA approval.

Is “Not Detected” the same as zero?

No. It generally means the analyte was not detected at or above the method’s applicable detection or reporting threshold.

Should the COA lot number match my package?

Yes, when the seller represents the COA as the report for your batch. If it does not match, request the correct document.

Is an alkaloid test enough?

Not for a full quality review. An alkaloid result does not substitute for contaminant panels such as microbiological and heavy-metals testing.

Why might two labs report different-looking numbers?

They may use different units, sample preparation, methods, reporting limits or measurement bases. Convert the units and compare the methods before comparing the numbers.

Does a COA tell me how much to use?

No. A laboratory result measures the submitted sample. It is not individualized medical advice and should not be treated as a dosing recommendation.

Primary sources

1. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Laboratory Analysis of Kratom Products for Heavy Metals.
2. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA and Kratom.
3. U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Notice of Intent: Temporary Placement of 7-Hydroxymitragynine Above a Specified Threshold, July 6, 2026.
4. U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Temporary Placement of Mitragynine Pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15 and MGM-16 in Schedule I, effective August 26, 2026.
5. Colorado General Assembly, SB25-072 Regulation of Kratom, signed May 29, 2025.
6. International Organization for Standardization, ISO/IEC 17025:2017, confirmed current in 2023.