Reading Your COA
A Certificate of Analysis is the single most important document for evaluating a kratom product. This guide walks you through every section, step by step.
Verify the Lab
A legitimate COA comes from an ISO 17025-accredited laboratory. This accreditation means the lab's testing methods have been independently verified. Look for: the lab name and accreditation number near the top of the document.
COA Header Section
Red flag: No lab name, or a lab you cannot verify independently.
Check the Sample Matches Your Product
The COA should show the product name, lot/batch number, and the date it was tested. The batch number on the COA must match the batch number on your product packaging.
Sample Information
Red flag: No batch number, or a generic product name like "kratom powder" with no lot identifier.
Understanding Alkaloid Percentages
This is the core of the COA. Alkaloid content is listed as a percentage of the total product weight. For a quality kratom powder, expect:
- Mitragynine (MIT): 1.0–2.0% is typical for leaf powder. Above 2% may indicate an enhanced product.
- 7-Hydroxymitragynine (7-OH): should be below 0.1% in natural leaf powder. Higher levels may indicate oxidation or synthetic addition.
- Total alkaloids: 1.0–3.0% is a normal range for leaf powder.
| Alkaloid | Result | Typical Range |
|---|---|---|
| Mitragynine (MIT) | 1.42% | 1.0–2.0% |
| 7-Hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) | 0.04% | <0.1% |
| Paynantheine (PAY) | 0.38% | 0.2–0.6% |
| Speciociliatine (SPECI) | 0.21% | 0.1–0.4% |
Red flag: No alkaloid breakdown, or 7-OH above 1% in a product marketed as "plain" powder.
Heavy Metals — Non-Negotiable
All legitimate kratom products should pass heavy metals testing. The four metals to look for:
- Lead (Pb): should be below 1 ppm
- Arsenic (As): should be below 1 ppm
- Cadmium (Cd): should be below 0.5 ppm
- Mercury (Hg): should be below 0.1 ppm
These limits follow FDA guidance for botanical supplements.
| Metal | Result (ppm) | Limit (ppm) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead (Pb) | 0.12 | 1.0 | PASS |
| Arsenic (As) | 0.08 | 1.0 | PASS |
| Cadmium (Cd) | 0.03 | 0.5 | PASS |
| Mercury (Hg) | <0.01 | 0.1 | PASS |
Red flag: Any metal listed as FAIL, or heavy metals testing absent entirely from the COA.
Microbiology and Solvent Residues
A complete COA also includes:
Microbiology
Tests for E. coli, Salmonella, yeast/mold counts. All should be PASS or ND (not detected).
Solvent Residues
If the product is an extract, the COA should confirm no residual solvents remain from the extraction process. For plain leaf powder, solvent testing is less critical.
Red flag: Failed microbiology, or no microbiology panel on an extract product.
How The Mitra Project Grades COAs
When a vendor submits a COA to The Mitra Project, our grading engine checks all of the above automatically:
Potency Accuracy
Is the alkaloid content consistent with what's advertised?
Safety Compliance
Did it pass heavy metals, solvents, and microbiology?
Consistency
Is this batch consistent with previous batches from this brand?
Audit Trail
Is the COA from a verified lab, with a matching batch number?
Automatic F grade: A product that fails heavy metals or solvents receives an automatic F grade, regardless of alkaloid content.