Guide sections
Educational content only. A COA is a snapshot of lab testing for one specific batch - not a stamp of safety or a legal clearance. Treat it as one input in your wider sourcing checks, never the whole story.
Below is a full Certificate of Analysis with every major section called out. Use it as a map - each numbered callout matches a section further down this page.
The header block identifies exactly what was tested and ties the report to a single production run. This is what makes a COA traceable.
Product & Form
The compound name (e.g. Tesamorelin) and its physical form, such as lyophilized powder.
Batch / Lot Number
The link between this report and the exact batch. A new batch should always ship with a fresh COA.
Molecular Formula & CAS Number
The chemical fingerprint. These should match published reference values for the compound.
Labeled Quantity
How much material the vial is meant to contain - sanity-check this against the net content result.
Cap & Crimp Color
Small physical identifiers that help you confirm the vial in hand matches the report.
This table compares each measurement against a reference standard. Every row should show a result that meets or beats the stated spec.
Purity
The headline number, usually from HPLC. A reference of >98% with a result like 99.4% means the target compound dominates the sample.
Net Content
The measured amount of active compound, checked against the labeled quantity.
Identity Confirmation (LC-MS)
Mass spectrometry confirming the molecule is what the label claims.
Endotoxin Safety Screen
Checks bacterial endotoxin levels against a safe threshold (e.g. ≤0.5 EU/mL).
Fentanyl Presence Analysis
Screens for fentanyl contamination - you want to see 'Not Detected'.
Microbial Sterility Screen
Confirms no microbial growth in the sample.
A dedicated table confirms that toxic heavy metals sit below safe limits. Each analyte should read as a low "less than" value with a passing status.
- Arsenic (As)
- Cadmium (Cd)
- Lead (Pb)
- Mercury (Hg)
Results are typically reported as a threshold (for example < 0.15) rather than an exact figure - the point is simply that contamination stays under the acceptable ceiling.
The chromatogram is the visual proof behind the purity number. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) separates the sample into its components, and each one shows up as a peak.
Reading the chart: one tall, dominant peak (labeled with the compound name) is your target. Small or near-flat baseline elsewhere means few impurities. The method line - e.g. RP-HPLC, C18 column, detection at 214 nm - tells you how the run was performed.
The footer is where accountability lives. A real COA is signed off and offers a way to confirm it's genuine.
Lab Director Signature
A named person taking responsibility for the analysis - not just an anonymous stamp.
Report Number
A unique identifier you can quote when checking the certificate with the lab.
QR Code & Access Code
A direct route to verify the report on the lab's own site (e.g. koveralabs.com/verify). Always confirm it resolves.
A fast run-through before you trust any peptide COA:
- 1Do the product name, molecular formula, and CAS number match what you ordered?
- 2Does the batch/lot number on the COA match the vial in hand?
- 3Is purity clearly stated, with a result that meets the reference standard?
- 4Did identity confirmation (LC-MS) return the correct compound?
- 5Do endotoxin, fentanyl, and sterility screens all pass?
- 6Are all heavy metals below their limits?
- 7Does the chromatogram show one clean, dominant peak?
- 8Is the report signed, numbered, and verifiable via QR or access code?
A strong COA reads like a complete story: it identifies the exact sample, shows every test result against a clear reference, screens for contaminants and heavy metals, backs the purity claim with a chromatogram, and ends with a signature you can verify. Read it with a skeptical eye - if any section is missing, vague, or unverifiable, ask the vendor for the original report.