A COA (Certificate of Analysis) is the lab report showing exactly what a hemp product contains. The key part is the cannabinoid panel: which cannabinoids were detected and at what concentration (% of weight). Here is how to read it, using Helsama's own analysis as an example.

CoA comparison: 8.8% CBDA grown on Gotland vs 6.6% in Italy, same seed, HPLC analysis
Two independent HPLC analyses of the same hemp seed: 8.83% CBDA grown on Gotland vs 6.64% in Italy.

What is a COA?

A COA is the result from an independent laboratory that has measured a product's cannabinoid content, usually using HPLC. It is the difference between a vendor claiming "third-party tested" and actually being able to show the numbers.

How do you read the cannabinoid panel?

Each row is a cannabinoid with a measured concentration in % w/w (weight percent). Here is CBDA (cannabidiolic acid)8.83±0.44 Δ⁹-THCA0.249±0.042 CBD0.282±0.042 CBGA0.154±0.038 CBG0.031±0.009 Δ⁹-THC0.031±0.007 CBDV, THCV, CBN, Δ⁸-THC, etc.< LOQ,

The full lab report is shown on the Premium CBD Hemp product page.

What do % w/w, LOQ and measurement uncertainty mean?

  • % w/w = share of the sample's weight. 8.83% CBDA means 8.83 grams of CBDA per 100 grams.
  • < LOQ = below the limit of quantification (here 0.03%), present in too low an amount to be measured precisely.
  • Measurement uncertainty (±) = the lab's margin of error. CBDA 8.83 ±0.44 means the true value lies between ~8.4 and ~9.3%.

How are total THC and total CBD calculated?

The acidic forms (THCA, CBDA) convert to their neutral forms (THC, CBD) when heated, losing carbon dioxide, so they are multiplied by 0.877:

  • Total THC = Δ⁹-THC + (0.877 × THCA) = 0.031 + 0.877 × 0.249 ≈ 0.25% → below the

FAQ

What is a COA?

An independent lab report (usually HPLC) showing a hemp product's cannabinoid content by weight.

What does < LOQ mean on a COA?

That the substance is below the lab's limit of quantification (here 0.03%) and cannot be measured precisely.

How is total THC calculated?

Δ⁹-THC + 0.877 × THCA. For Helsama's panel that comes to ≈ 0.25%, below the 0.3% limit.

Continue reading: For the full picture, see the overview The Nordic climate advantage: 33% more CBDA on Gotland and

About Helsama’s Premium CBD Hampa: Unheated, milled raw hemp made from hemp grown on Gotland, the plant’s full spectrum in natural acid form, below 0.3% Δ9-THC. Under Swedish law, extracted full-spectrum oils are classed as narcotics (Supreme Court, 2019), and isolate isn’t full-spectrum. In a paired comparison, the Gotland material contained 8.83% CBDA against 6.64% for the same variety grown in Italy, a single observation, published by Helsama’s founder and not peer-reviewed. What accounts for the difference has not been isolated.