How to Read a Certificate of Analysis (COA) | Scrunchy Living - Scrunchy Living

How to Read a Certificate of Analysis (COA) | Scrunchy Living

A Certificate of Analysis (COA) is one of the most powerful tools you have as a consumer trying to protect your family from hidden toxins, and most people have never heard of it.

TL;DR:
- A COA is a third-party lab report that tells you what's actually in a product, including contaminants the label won't mention.
- Always look for ISO 17025-accredited, independent labs. A brand testing its own products is a conflict of interest.
- Check that the batch number on the COA matches the batch number on the product you're holding.

Key Takeaways

  • A COA from an accredited, third-party laboratory is the gold standard for verifying product safety. In-house COAs from a brand's own lab carry an inherent conflict of interest and should be treated with more skepticism.
  • The most critical sections to read on a certificate are purity/assay, heavy metals, and microbial contamination. A clean result in all three tells you far more than any marketing claim on the front of the label.
  • Batch numbers matter. A COA is only valid for the specific batch it was generated for. If the numbers don't match, the document doesn't apply to your product.

Why This Even Matters for Pregnant Moms and New Parents

If you've ever squinted at an ingredient list and felt completely lost, you're not alone. Labels are designed by marketing teams, not safety researchers. They're allowed to use terms like "fragrance," "natural," or "dermatologist tested" with almost no regulatory accountability.

A COA cuts through that noise. It's an actual lab report, not a claim made by the company selling you something. For pregnancy-safe supplements, baby products, and anything going on or near an infant's skin, it's the difference between trusting a label and verifying what's inside.

The FDA does not approve dietary supplements before they go to market, which means the burden of verification falls on you as the buyer.

What this means for your family: Supplements you take during pregnancy are not FDA-approved for safety. A COA is your independent check.

What Is a Certificate of Analysis, Exactly?

A Certificate of Analysis is a document from a testing laboratory that reports the actual measured results for a specific batch of a product. It lists what's in the product, how much of it is there, and whether any unwanted contaminants showed up.

COAs are common in industries like supplements, CBD products, baby care, and cleaning products, and they're starting to become expected in the clean beauty space as well.

A legitimate COA will include:

  • Product name and batch or lot number
  • Testing laboratory name and accreditation
  • Date the testing was performed
  • Parameters tested (purity, potency, heavy metals, microbials, pesticides)
  • Specification vs. result columns so you can see the acceptable range and the actual finding

How Do You Find a COA?

Where to Look First

Many brands that prioritize transparency will post COAs directly on their website, either on the product page or in a dedicated "Lab Results" or "Testing" section. Some products include a QR code on the label that links directly to the COA for that specific batch. If a URL is printed on the label, type it into your browser directly.

If you can't find a COA on the brand's website, email customer service and ask for one. A reputable company will send it without hesitation. Hesitation is itself informative.

SCRUNCHY MOM TIP: If a supplement brand can't produce a COA when asked, that's a red flag worth taking seriously, especially during pregnancy when you're absorbing everything your growing baby absorbs too.

What If There's No COA Available?

Look for products with third-party certifications instead. Certifications like MADE SAFE, EWG Verified, and USDA Organic require independent testing as part of their approval process, which gives you some of the same assurance a COA provides. For textiles such as crib sheets, clothing, and swaddles, GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) covers the entire manufacturing process from farm to finished product. OEKO-TEX Standard 100 means the final product has been tested for over 350 potentially harmful substances.

These certifications aren't a perfect substitute for a COA, but they're a meaningful layer of accountability.

How Do You Actually Read a Certificate of Analysis?

Step 1: Verify the Lab

Before you read a single number, confirm that the lab is independent and accredited. Search the laboratory name online. It should be an established, real-world entity with a professional website. Look for ISO 17025 accreditation, which is the internationally recognized standard for testing laboratory competence. A brand's in-house lab can produce a COA, but it carries an inherent conflict of interest. Third-party means the lab has no financial stake in the result.

Step 2: Match the Batch Number

The batch or lot number on the COA must match the number printed on your product's label or packaging exactly. If it doesn't match, the document doesn't tell you anything about what you're actually holding. This is especially important for supplements and baby products where formulations can change batch to batch.

Step 3: Read the Purity or Assay Section

Look for a column labeled "Assay" or "Purity" — this is where you confirm the product actually contains what it claims. There will be a "Specification" column (the acceptable range) and a "Result" column (what was actually found in this batch). The result should fall within the specification range. If the stated active ingredient is supposed to be present at 95% purity and the result shows 62%, that's a problem.

Step 4: Check Heavy Metals

The heavy metals panel is non-negotiable for anything you're taking or using during pregnancy. Heavy metals including lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury are known to cross the placental barrier and accumulate in developing fetal tissue. A trustworthy COA will test for these individually and report results in parts per million (ppm) or parts per billion (ppb). Each result should be below the lab's specified limit.

What this means for your family: Lead and arsenic in supplements aren't theoretical risks during pregnancy. Checking the heavy metals panel on a COA takes two minutes and matters.

Step 5: Check Microbial Contamination

This section tells you whether the product contains harmful bacteria, mold, or yeast. It's especially relevant for any ingestible supplement, protein powder, or herbal product. Results should show "Not Detected" (ND) or values below the acceptable threshold for each pathogen listed.

Step 6: Check for Pesticides (If Relevant)

For any herbal, botanical, or plant-derived product, a pesticide panel is worth reviewing before you buy. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences notes that children are especially vulnerable to environmental chemicals like pesticides during critical windows of development. Products that test clean for pesticide residue will show ND or results below regulatory limits.

What this means for your family: Herbal teas, tinctures, and plant-based supplements marketed for pregnancy should ideally carry a pesticide panel in their COA.

A Quick-Reference Guide: What to Check on a COA

COA Section What to Look For Red Flag
Lab Name ISO 17025 accredited, third-party In-house brand lab, no accreditation listed
Batch Number Matches your product label exactly Batch number missing or doesn't match
Purity / Assay Result falls within specification range Result below stated specification
Heavy Metals All results below listed limits or ND Any result above limit, especially lead
Microbials "Not Detected" for pathogens Positive result for E. coli, Salmonella
Pesticides ND or below regulatory threshold Detected residues above limit

Why Pregnancy and the Newborn Stage Raise the Stakes on COA Verification

The fetal and newborn periods represent a uniquely vulnerable window — one where standard label-reading simply isn't enough. Environmental health research recognizes the fetal and early-childhood periods as windows of heightened vulnerability to environmental exposures, because organ systems are actively developing and detoxification pathways are not yet mature. Requesting COAs for prenatal supplements, infant probiotics, baby lotions, and diaper creams is not overcautious. It's appropriate due diligence.

Good Brands to Buy

These brands have established public COA practices or strong third-party certification standards:

  • Thorne — Prenatal supplements with published third-party testing and NSF certification; a trusted choice for pregnancy
  • Ritual (Essential Prenatal) — Publishes ingredient traceability and third-party testing information on their website
  • Burt's Bees Baby — Products carry OEKO-TEX certification; a more accessible budget option for baby skincare
  • Baby Dove Sensitive — EWG Verified line available; budget-friendly and fragrance-free formulas for newborn skin
  • MegaFood Baby & Me 2 — Third-party tested prenatal vitamin with NSF contents certification

FAQ

Q: Can I trust a COA that comes directly from the brand?
A: Only if it was conducted by an independent, ISO 17025-accredited third-party laboratory. If the testing was done in the brand's own lab, treat it with more skepticism — the conflict of interest is real, even when brands have good intentions. Ask the brand to confirm who ran the tests, then look up that laboratory independently to verify it exists and holds current accreditation.

Q: What should I do if a product I already bought doesn't have a COA available?
A: Start by emailing the brand directly to request one. A reputable company will respond promptly with documentation for the specific batch you purchased. If they can't or won't provide it, look for an equivalent product from a brand that does publish COAs or holds a third-party certification like MADE SAFE or EWG Verified. For supplements specifically, switching to an NSF-certified or USP-verified brand is a practical and immediate next step.

Q: Do COAs apply to food products too, or just supplements?
A: COAs are most commonly associated with supplements, CBD products, and specialty ingredients, but they can exist for any product category — including baby food purees, protein powders, and herbal teas. For packaged food, USDA Organic certification and pesticide residue testing serve a similar verification function. If you're concerned about a specific food product, contacting the manufacturer directly to ask about their testing protocols is always appropriate, and brands with strong transparency practices will have that information readily available.

About the Author

Jenn Smith, RN BSN, is a registered nurse, mom, and co-founder of Scrunchy Living. She writes evidence-based guides to non-toxic living, pregnancy-safe products, and clean home practices for modern families.

This article is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult your licensed healthcare provider before making changes to your supplement routine or health practices during pregnancy or postpartum.

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