What Cannabis and Hemp Products Are Tested For
Cannabis and hemp products are agricultural products, and like any agricultural product, they can pick up contaminants during growing, processing, or manufacturing. Comprehensive testing protects consumers and gives producers a documented, defensible record of product quality. Here is what a thorough test panel typically covers.
Potency
Potency testing measures the concentration of cannabinoids such as THC and CBD in a product. It confirms label accuracy for consumers and, for hemp, confirms the crop or product falls within the legal THC compliance threshold.
Pesticides
Because cannabis and hemp have historically lacked federal pesticide registration guidance, unapproved pesticide use is a real risk. Testing labs validate pesticide methods against AOAC Standard Method Performance Requirement (SMPR) 2018.011, which sets minimum performance criteria for identifying and quantifying pesticide residues in dried cannabis materials.
Heavy Metals
Cannabis and hemp plants can absorb heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury from soil, water, or fertilizer. Because these metals accumulate rather than break down, testing is a key safeguard, particularly for products consumed regularly.
Microbial Contaminants
Microbial testing checks for organisms such as Salmonella and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, along with yeast and mold counts. AOAC has published dedicated Standard Method Performance Requirements for each of these, including SMPR 2020.002 for Salmonella, SMPR 2020.012 for Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, and SMPR 2021.009 for yeast and mold enumeration, giving labs a consistent benchmark for method validation.
Mycotoxins
Mycotoxins, including aflatoxins and ochratoxins, are byproducts of fungal growth. Aflatoxins can interfere with fetal development, and ochratoxins are associated with kidney damage and are carcinogenic, making mycotoxin testing an important part of a complete safety panel, especially for products that have been through drying or storage.
Residual Solvents
Products made using solvent-based extraction, such as many concentrates, must be tested to confirm that residual solvents fall below safe limits. Method validation for this testing is benchmarked against AOAC SMPR 2019.002.
Why the Testing Standard Matters as Much as the Test
A test result is only as reliable as the laboratory and method behind it. Look for a laboratory accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 with a scope of accreditation that covers the specific product matrix and contaminants you need tested, and methods validated against the relevant AOAC Standard Method Performance Requirements.
PJRFSI Cannabis and Hemp Safety Certification: system-level GACP and cGMP certification backed by decades of food safety auditing experience.
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Call PJRFSI today at 1-855-757-7374 to discuss certification for your operation.
