Everything you need to know
A Certificate of Analysis (COA) is the primary quality document issued by an analytical testing laboratory after testing a product sample. Understanding what a COA contains — and how to evaluate one — is essential for supplement brands, manufacturers, importers, and retailers.
What is a Certificate of Analysis (COA)?
A Certificate of Analysis (COA) is an official laboratory document that reports the results of analytical tests performed on a specific batch or lot of a product. It confirms the product's composition, purity, potency, and/or safety profile depending on which tests were performed. COAs are issued by accredited analytical laboratories and typically include the product name, lot number, date of analysis, test methods used, results for each analyte, acceptance criteria or specifications, and the laboratory's signature and accreditation information.
Why do I need a COA for my supplement or product?
COAs serve multiple purposes: Regulatory compliance — FDA expects dietary supplement manufacturers to test finished products and maintain batch records. Retailer requirements — Amazon, Whole Foods, GNC, and other retailers increasingly require COAs before listing or stocking supplement products. Consumer safety — Testing verifies the product is free from unsafe levels of contaminants like heavy metals, mycotoxins, and residual solvents. Label accuracy — Potency testing confirms active ingredient claims on the label are accurate. Legal protection — A COA documents that due diligence was performed if a product is ever challenged.
What tests are typically included in a supplement COA?
The most common tests included in supplement COAs are: heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury) by ICP-MS; microbial testing (total plate count, yeast and mold, E. coli, Salmonella); mycotoxins (aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, fumonisins) by LC-MS/MS; residual solvents by headspace GC-MS; pesticide residues by LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS; potency/identity testing by HPLC; and moisture/water activity. Not every product needs every test — the appropriate test panel depends on the ingredient type, intended population, and target markets.
What is the difference between a first-party and third-party COA?
A first-party COA is issued by the manufacturer's own in-house laboratory. While useful for internal QC, it carries less credibility because the lab has a financial interest in the outcome. A third-party COA is issued by an independent laboratory with no commercial relationship to the manufacturer. Third-party COAs are required by most retailers, Amazon, and are considered the standard for consumer-facing product claims. ISO 17025 accreditation (or accreditation pending status) of the third-party laboratory further validates its competence.
How long is a COA valid?
COAs do not expire, but they are only valid for the specific lot number tested on the date of analysis. Most retailers expect COAs dated within 12–24 months of the current date. For products with ongoing production, you should obtain a new COA for each new production batch. Retailers may reject stale COAs if they don't match the current inventory lot.
What makes a COA from Prodigy Labs reliable?
Prodigy Labs operates under ISO 17025 accreditation pending status through PJLA. Our COAs include: quantitative results (not just pass/fail), method references (AOAC, USP, EPA), instrument-specific data, and analyst signatures. We test against established regulatory thresholds (FDA, EU MRLs, California Prop 65) and report both results and acceptance criteria so you can make informed compliance decisions. Request a test to get started.