A certificate of analysis has become the standard marketing asset in the kratom alkaloid industry. It is also easy to fake, and plenty of them are. Here is how to tell.
First: what a COA is supposed to be
A certificate of analysis is a report produced by a laboratory that tested a specific batch of material, stating what it measured. It is a record of a test, not a design asset. If it does not describe an actual measurement of an actual batch, it is not a COA.
The eight checks
1. Does the batch number match your packaging?
This is the most important check and the one most often skipped. A genuine report for batch A tells you nothing about the product from batch B in your hand. Vendors who host one generic report for all products are not documenting batches.
2. Is the laboratory named, and does it exist?
Search the lab name. Look for a website, a physical address, and a history of testing in this industry. “Accredited Labs International” with no web presence is a red flag.
3. Is the laboratory independent?
A report from a lab the vendor owns is not third-party testing. Independent means a separate business with no ownership relationship to the seller.
4. Does it show measured values or repeat the label?
Real reports show numbers like “7-hydroxymitragynine: 11.8mg per tablet”. Fake-looking reports tend to state the label claim exactly – “12mg” – which is what you would type if you were designing a document rather than reporting a measurement.
5. Is there a test date?
And is it recent? A report dated several years ago describes material that has long since been sold. Fresh test dates indicate a vendor who actually retests each batch.
6. Are there purity panels?
Potency is only half the story. A complete report includes heavy metals, microbial screening and residual solvents. A “COA” that only lists alkaloid content has skipped everything that matters for purity.
7. Does it have the marks of a real document?
Sample identifiers, method references, reporting limits, units, signature or authorisation block, laboratory letterhead with contact details. Real reports are dense with method detail. Fake ones are clean and graphic.
8. Does the vendor host it openly?
Genuine vendors tend to make COAs easy to find. Ones that require three emails and never quite send the document are usually the ones who do not have it.
Worked example: what to look for
| Element | Genuine COA | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| Batch identifier | Specific alphanumeric code | None, or “general” |
| Measured potency | Decimal value, e.g. 11.8mg | Exact label claim repeated |
| Methods | Named analytical method, units, limits | No method information |
| Lab signature | Authorised signatory block | None |
| Purity panels | Metals, microbial, solvents | Potency only |
| Date | Recent, per batch | Missing or years old |
The simplest test of all
Email the vendor and ask for the certificate of analysis for the specific batch number on the product you are about to receive. A vendor who tests will send it. A vendor who does not will explain why that is difficult.
We publish ours on the Lab Results page and send batch-matched reports on request: [email protected].
Why this matters so much in this category
Alkaloid concentration in kratom leaf varies enormously with season, region and cultivar. Without testing, nobody knows the actual content of a batch – including the vendor. Testing is not a marketing feature. It is the only thing standing between a label claim and a verified fact.
Related reading
See our lab results
Independently tested, batch by batch, with purity panels available on request.
