How to read a product lab report

A report number or sample ID identifies the document or the sample the lab received. A product may also show a lot or batch number. Compare the identifiers printed on the report with the product record and packaging before treating the report as a match. If the relationship is unclear, the document alone does not resolve it.

Reports may show dates for sampling, receipt, testing, or when results were issued. These dates describe different steps in the testing timeline. Check which date a field refers to and whether the product and sample identifiers line up.

The lab name, method, test panel, and any accreditation details shown describe who performed the listed work and how the report says it was done. A missing detail should not be assumed or filled in from the lab name alone.

A cannabinoid panel names the compounds the lab reports, such as CBD, delta-9 THC, or other cannabinoids. Read each row separately: an amount applies to the named compound and the sample basis stated on the report.

Units matter. Milligrams (mg) show a mass; milligrams per gram (mg/g) show an amount relative to a gram of sample; a percentage shows a proportion on the basis defined by that report. Do not compare values with different units or bases as if they were the same. A sample result is not a per-serving amount unless the report explicitly gives that serving basis.

Only the named analytes are described by those rows. A cannabinoid that is not listed is not thereby shown to be absent or tested.

A terpene profile lists the terpenes included in that panel and their reported concentrations. The units may be mg/g, a percentage, or another unit printed on the report; use the report’s own basis when comparing values.

A listed concentration describes a measured amount in the tested sample. It does not establish how a product will taste, smell, or feel to a particular person. A terpene that is not listed is not proof that it is absent or that it was tested.

Look for the specific pesticide names, residual solvents, heavy metals, or microorganisms shown in the report. A panel may list individual substances, groups, or indicators. Read the test scope and footnotes to see what the lab says it included.

For each listed row, check the result, unit, and any limit or result key beside it. A number is meaningful only with its unit and the report’s stated basis. A result for one listed substance says nothing by itself about substances that are not listed.

A missing row does not show whether a substance was tested. If the report marks an item “not tested,” “NT,” or similar, use the report’s own legend; an empty cell or dash can have different meanings across reports.

A limit of detection (LOD) is about whether a method can detect an analyte at a stated level. A limit of quantitation (LOQ) is about the level at which that method can report a quantitative amount with its stated performance. The report’s definitions and units control.

“ND” or “not detected” generally means the method did not report the analyte above the applicable detection or reporting threshold. It does not prove the amount is exactly zero. A value shown as below an LOD or LOQ is also bounded by the stated method limit, not a universal zero.

“Pass,” “Fail,” and similar labels depend on the report’s stated criteria and tested scope. They do not mean every possible substance was tested, and they are not an unqualified assurance about a product, another batch, or future conditions. Check the report’s legend for the meaning of its exact labels.