Health

Hemp Lab Testing: How to Identify the Best

 

When customers come to your store, whether conventional or online, the first thing they do before placing an order is checking the quantity of various components. So how do you ascertain that the products supplied to you are of high quality? The answer is hemp lab testing. These are independent laboratories that help to test cannabinoid profile and other properties of cannabis products. In this article, we are going to show you how to identify good hemp lab testing firms.  

Should be Legit 

The first thing to check when looking for a reliable hemp lab testing firm is its legal status. Even after passing the 2018 hemp bill, individual states still have their own regulations for businesses allowed to operate in their jurisdictions.

When you find that a laboratory is legit, it is a first indicator of how committed the management is to following all the laid down rules. Then, move a step ahead and try to establish the mission of the laboratory. An organization that is committed to transparency and customer value is likely to offer you correct and reliable results. 

Have No Affiliation to Specific Cannabis Company 

Although hemp lab testing is not a requirement in the cannabis industry, it is seen by the stakeholders as the sure way of establishing that dealers release products with all the components they indicate in adverts. But you can only be sure of establishing this if you work with an independent hemp lab testing organization.

A lab that is not affiliated to any cannabis dealer means that it does not have a stake in its success. Therefore, it will give an unbiased analysis of product samples. 

Offer All the Tests You Need Done on Your Sample 

When you take a sample cannabis product for hemp lab testing, a number of analyses are needed. It will be more convenient, and perhaps affordable, to deal with a single laboratory as opposed to several. Therefore, you should look for the laboratory that can carry most tests, including the following:

  • Cannabinoid profile: This is the commonest types of tests done by many hemp lab testing firms. It is aimed at checking different cannabinoids in a product. The most checked Cannabinoids include THCV, CBN, Δ-9 THC, CBD, THCA, CBC, Δ-8 THC, and CBDV.
  • Pesticides: These are components of pesticides used on hemp plants to control pests. Some of them include daminozide, cyfluthrin and bifenazate. 
  • Organic solvents: If the hemp product producer uses organic solvents, it is possible to get some remnants in the final product. Your selected laboratory should be able to test solvents such as isobutene, ethanol, acetone, and propane. 
  • Bio-contaminants: Like pesticides, most bio-contaminants such as molds and bacteria get into hemp products when the plant is still in the field. However, others might get into the product during processing.  

Have the Latest Technology 

To be able to run the above tests and give the right results promptly, your selected laboratory should have the latest technology and use state-of-the-art equipment. Before asking the company to take your sample for testing, confirm they use the latest technology such as the High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). 

HPCL is used in most third-party cannabis testing laboratories because of its high efficiency. It involves dissolving the sample in a solvent and placing it in thin tubes. Then pressure is applied on these tubes, and the movement of different components observed. The details recorded are used to determine the presence and quantities of various components. Other top cannabis lab testing technologies include:

  • Mass Spectronomy (MS) Test.
  • Polymerase Chain Reactions (PCR Testing)
  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy Testing.

When you decide to work with a hemp lab testing firm, you should only select the best. Make sure to identify the laboratory that has the latest technology and is fully committed to delivering correct, timely and unbiased results all the time.