COA Process
A Certificate of Analysis is only as informative as the testing behind it. Every batch of research peptides gets checked against five measurements: identity, purity, quantity, endotoxin levels, and microbial limits. The first three confirm the peptide itself was synthesized correctly; the last two confirm nothing contaminated it on the way to your vial. Together, they’re the industry-standard panel for a lyophilized research peptide.
What Does Each Test Actually Check?
| Test | What It Checks | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | Confirms the compound is actually the peptide it’s labeled as, typically via mass spectrometry (MS) | Without this, you can’t be sure the vial contains what the label says |
| Purity | Measures what percentage of the sample is the target peptide versus synthesis byproducts, typically via HPLC | Low purity means more impurities interfering with your results |
| Quantity | Confirms the actual peptide content matches the labeled amount (e.g., 5 mg per vial) | Under-filled vials throw off concentration and dosing calculations in research protocols |
| Endotoxin | Detects bacterial endotoxin contamination, typically via a Limulus Amebocyte Lysate (LAL) assay | Endotoxins can trigger inflammatory responses in biological assays, skewing results |
| Microbial Limits | Screens for bacterial and fungal contamination introduced during handling or packaging | Contamination compromises both product integrity and any downstream research use |
The first three tests are about the chemistry: did the synthesis produce the right molecule, at the right purity, in the right amount?
The last two are about the supply chain: did anything go wrong between synthesis and the vial reaching you? A COA that only reports the first three and skips endotoxin and microbial testing is telling you the peptide was made correctly, but nothing about what happened to it afterward.
What Does ISO/IEC 17025 Accreditation Actually Mean?
Not all testing labs are equal, and accreditation is how you tell the difference. ISO/IEC 17025 is the international standard specifically for testing and calibration laboratory competence. As such, it’s not a general business certification but a technical standard covering equipment calibration, staff qualification, and method validation. A lab holding this accreditation has been independently audited against those requirements, not just self-certifying its own work.
This matters because an accredited lab answers to an external audit process, not just its own internal standards — its accreditation status depends on that ongoing check. A supplier testing its own products, or working with an unaccredited lab, doesn’t have that same independent check in place.
How Do You Read a COA?
A typical Certificate of Analysis includes a handful of fields worth knowing how to check:
- Compound name and batch/lot number: should match what’s printed on your vial’s label exactly.
- Test date: recent testing means the analysis reflects the actual batch you received, not an old reference sample.
- Results table: the actual measured values for each test (identity, purity, quantity, endotoxin, microbial), compared against the specification.
- Testing lab name and accreditation number: lets you independently verify who ran the analysis.
- Signature or lab authorization: indicates the document was formally issued, not just generated internally.
What Are Red Flags to Watch for in a COA?
A few things are worth checking before you trust any COA, from Biohub or anyone else:
- No accreditation number listed — a lab name alone doesn’t confirm accreditation status.
- Only identity and purity reported, with no endotoxin or microbial data — this leaves the supply-chain half of the picture completely unchecked.
- Batch number mismatch — if the COA’s batch ID doesn’t match your vial’s label, it’s not verifying the product you actually have.
- No test date, or a date far older than your purchase — an outdated COA may not reflect your actual batch.
For a deeper look at how laboratory accreditation works generally, ISO’s own overview of the 17025 standard covers what the requirement actually demands of a testing lab.
Where to Go From Here
The full lookup tool for finding your specific batch’s COA lives in the COA Library — everything above covers the testing itself; that’s where you go to pull the actual document. And once you’re ready to reconstitute your compound, the dilution guide covers what comes next.
All compounds referenced here are supplied strictly for research and laboratory use. The full catalog is available on the Biohub Peptides shop page.
The product page lists the minimum specification every batch must meet. The COA reports the actual measured result for your specific batch, which typically exceeds that minimum — a spec of "≥99%" with a measured result of 99.6% just means your batch came in above the floor.
No, they check different things. Identity confirms the sample is actually the labeled peptide; purity confirms how much of the sample is that peptide versus leftover synthesis byproducts. A sample can be the right compound and still be impure, or vice versa in theory, which is why both are reported separately.
Yes, once the testing lab's accreditation number is listed on the document, you can look up that lab's accreditation status directly through the accrediting body.