Every serious herbal brand should be able to show you a Certificate of Analysis (COA) — the lab report that proves what’s actually in the jar. Yet most buyers have never seen one, and fewer still know how to read it. Learn this once, and you’ll never be at the mercy of a pretty label again. It’s the single most powerful skill for buying herbs with confidence.

What Is a COA?

A Certificate of Analysis is a document from a testing laboratory confirming that a specific batch of product was tested and met defined safety and quality limits. The key word is batch — a real COA matches the batch number on your pack, not a generic “our products are pure” statement.

The Four Things a Good COA Tests For

1. Heavy Metals

The big one. Herbs grown in polluted soil — or poorly made mineral products — can carry toxic metals. A COA should report lead, arsenic, mercury and cadmium, each with a result that sits within a safe permitted limit. This is the test that matters most for your long-term safety.

2. Pesticide Residues

Conventionally farmed herbs can carry pesticide residue. A quality COA shows pesticide screening with results within permissible limits — especially important for leaf and whole-plant herbs.

3. Microbial Contamination

Powders can harbour bacteria, yeast and mould if poorly processed or stored. The report should list total microbial counts and specific pathogens (such as E. coli and Salmonella) as “within limits” or “absent.”

4. Aflatoxins

Aflatoxins are toxins produced by certain moulds, a real risk in improperly dried herbs and seeds. A thorough COA includes aflatoxin testing within safe limits.

“A pretty label is a promise. A batch COA is proof.”

Green Flags and Red Flags

• Green flag: a brand that offers the COA before you even ask, tied to the batch, from a named accredited lab.
• Red flag: “we can’t share that,” a generic certificate with no batch number, or vague “100% pure” claims with nothing to back them.
• Red flag: results suspiciously listed as a flat “0” for everything — real labs report actual values within limits, not perfect zeros.

Why This Protects You

Herbs are something you put into your body daily, often for months. Heavy metals and aflatoxins accumulate quietly. Asking for a COA isn’t paranoid — it’s the same diligence you’d expect of any food or medicine. The brands worth your trust will respect you for asking.

Transparency is the standard we hold ourselves to. Explore Asli Ayurveda’s tested herbs and formulations — made under GMP standards with quality you can ask about.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Certificate of Analysis (COA)?

It’s a lab document confirming that a specific batch of a product was tested and met safety and quality limits — covering heavy metals, pesticides, microbes and aflatoxins.

What heavy metals should a herb COA test for?

At minimum lead, arsenic, mercury and cadmium, each reported within a safe permitted limit.

Can I ask a brand for their COA?

Yes, and you should. A trustworthy brand will provide a batch-matched COA from a named, ideally accredited (NABL) laboratory. Reluctance to share is a red flag.

Why does the batch number matter?

Because quality varies batch to batch. A COA is only meaningful if its batch number matches the product in your hand — a generic certificate proves little.