What a COA for a bulk ingredient actually contains

The one-page sheet

Every batch leaves with a certificate of analysis. The parameter list is fixed by the material and the dosage form; the results change with the batch. A COA for a bulk powder is not the same document as a COA for a finished gummy: the powder is released on identity, assay, moisture and particle size; the gummy is released on piece weight, texture, water activity and microbiology as well.

Batch results are recorded on the COA supplied with each shipment. A sample COA for the current batch of any product in this range is available on request.

What a bulk powder COA contains

A bulk powder has no shell or tablet to protect it, so the powder itself is the release parameter. Identity, assay, moisture, particle size and microbiology are the five numbers a buyer should check before accepting a drum.

The moisture result is the first number to check on a hygroscopic powder. A drum that passes the assay but sits at the top of the moisture window will cake in a humid warehouse; the assay is still right, but the powder is no longer easy to weigh or blend.

What a finished gummy COA contains

A gummy is a food matrix with a water activity. The COA has to describe the piece as well as the active: weight, texture, water activity, pH and microbiology. A gummy that passes the active assay but fails the water activity will sweat or stick in the bottle.

Water activity is the parameter that separates a stable gummy from a sticky one. It is set with the base (pectin or gelatin), the sugar/glucose syrup ratio and the drying step. The COA should state the result, not only 'texture: conforms'.

Marker assays by product

“Assay” means different things for different products. The table below maps each product in this range to its marker and method. The release limit is written into the individual product specification; the method is what makes the number comparable between laboratories.

Two laboratories can differ by one or two percentage points on the same powder because of column, mobile phase, wavelength and standard. When you compare quotations, compare the method as well as the number.

Release limit vs batch result

The release limit is the window we promise for every batch. The batch result is what this specific batch measured. Both belong on the COA, and the difference between them is where most purchasing arguments start.

If your incoming inspection uses a tighter window than the release limit, send us that window before the order. It is easier to select or adjust a batch before packing than to argue about a deviation after arrival.

In-house COA vs third-party report

Most COAs, including ours by default, are issued by the manufacturer's own QC laboratory. That is normal: the batch is released against that result. When your customer or your importer needs an independent report, ask for SGS or Eurofins by name and specify the tests. Third-party testing is arranged per order; it is not a substitute for the release COA, it sits beside it.

What changes between batches

• Marker result — a 98% specification often lands at 99%; a 50% botanical extract can land at 52%. That is normal, not a premium grade.
• Colour — botanical powders move with the raw material; gummies move with the colour and the base. If colour is critical, specify a range and keep a retention sample.
• Particle size — milling and sieving move the D50; a change in particle size changes the flow and the dispersion.
• Water activity — gummies move with the drying step and the storage humidity; the release range is set so the texture still passes.

Product-specific notes

Each row maps one product in this range to the parameter this document controls. The product pages link back to their own row; when you compare two products, compare the method column before the number.