Everything You Need to Know about Hemp Lab Testing

Perhaps you have heard the term “hemp lab testing” when searching or buying CBD products. Hemp lab tests are chemical analysis of cannabis products to ensure they are fit to be used by your customers.

This testing is especially critical for businesses dealing with CBD products to help them certify that their product’s ingredients are as advertised.

Here is all about hemp lab testing that you need to know.

Who does the Hemp Lab Testing?

Hemp lab testing is done by third-party laboratories (independent labs) that are not in any way affiliated to the manufacturer or supplier of the CBD product. This testing helps to establish the following:

• What does the CBD product contain?
• Does the product have components as advertized or indicated on the label?
• Does the product contain harmful components?

Note that because lab hemp testing is done by independent labs, they are not interested in the success of the manufacturer or supplier. Therefore, they give unbiased results.

Why is Hemp Lab Testing Important?

As the hemp industry unfolds, third party testing is perhaps the most important in the supply chain.

For example, despite the passing of laws that legalize the use of hemp products, a lot of users are worried they might get high.

This is why you should ensure that all CBD products are tested and proven to have all ingredients in the right quantities.

Here are the core benefits of hemp testing:

• Ensuring all hemp products have the correct quantities of varying components. After passing the 2018 hemp bill, hemp products are required to have no more than 0.3% of THC. Therefore, a third-party laboratory will help to confirm that indeed, your supplies have the legal levels of THC and other CBD components. 
• Today, most hemp plants for generating CBD products are mass-produced. Therefore, the risk of getting low-quality products from poorly grown marijuana looms. The only way to know that a product is made from high-quality plants is by using hemp lab testing.
• The increasing demand for CBD products has attracted a lot of businesses into the industry. To accelerate the growth of hemp plants and meet the surging demand, some companies use chemicals. But some of these chemicals have residual effects and can be found in the final cannabis product. When you subject your products to third-party testing, you can easily tell if they have pesticides or other contaminants.

Today, the hemp industry regulations in the US (read more here) and most countries are still new. Indeed, the components they focus on are only a few, such as the levels of THC.

Therefore, you need to be extra vigilant by subjecting your products for further testing to ensure they have the right ingredients.

What Is Checked During Hemp Lab Testing?

While the primary goal of hemp lab testing is CBD components, most laboratories go beyond that.

Here are the main components they test when you take product samples to their laboratories:

• Cannabinoid profile: This test is also known as potency test and is aimed at checking the quantities of cannabinoids in a sample. Most tests analyze 15 cannabinoids including Δ-8 THC, CBD, THCV, CBN, THCA, CBC, Δ-9 THC, and CBDV.   
• Pesticides: These are residual components of different pesticides used to control pests in cannabis plantations. Some of the pesticides include daminozide, bifenazate, and cyfluthrin.
• Terpenes: These are volatile compounds that help to provide unique characteristics of a plant. Indeed, the different properties of CBD products depend on terpenes.

Other components tested in a hemp lab include heavy metals, organic solvents, and bio-contaminants.

Whether you are a new trader or has been in the hemp business for some time, the best thing that you can do is having your products tested by third-party laboratories.

You get the assurance that they are of high-quality and will have the anticipated effects on clients.