What is a Certificate of Analysis (COA)?

A Certificate of Analysis is a laboratory document that reports the test results for a specific batch of a product. For kratom, a complete COA shows the percentage of mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine alkaloids, heavy-metal levels (lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury), microbial counts (Salmonella, E. coli, total yeast and mold), and any solvent or pesticide residues. Each COA is tied to a specific batch number and date — not to the brand as a whole.

How do I verify a COA is real?

First, the COA should come from an accredited third-party lab — not the vendor's own internal lab. The lab's name, address, and accreditation (often ISO 17025) should be on the document. Second, the batch number on the COA should match the batch number printed on the product label. Third, you can call or email the issuing lab and confirm they tested that batch. Reputable vendors publish PDFs of every batch's COA openly on their website.

What mitragynine percentage is normal for kratom?

Raw kratom leaf typically contains 0.5–2% mitragynine by dry weight. Standardized kratom extracts can range from 10% to 75%+ mitragynine concentration, depending on the extraction method. The 7-hydroxymitragynine fraction in natural leaf is much smaller — usually well under 0.1%. If a 'kratom' product shows a 7-OH percentage anywhere close to or higher than its mitragynine percentage, that's a strong signal of synthetic spiking, not natural leaf material.

What heavy-metal limits should I look for on a COA?

Look for limits aligned with the American Herbal Products Association and KCPA-style thresholds: lead under 1 ppm, arsenic under 1.5 ppm, cadmium under 0.5 ppm, and mercury under 0.1 ppm (parts per million). A reputable COA reports the actual measured value alongside the limit, so you can see how far below the threshold the batch tested — not just a binary 'pass.'

What microbial tests should a kratom COA include?

At minimum: total aerobic plate count, yeast and mold, E. coli, Salmonella, and total coliforms. Salmonella has historically been the most serious kratom contamination issue (it triggered FDA recalls in 2018), so the Salmonella result should be explicitly listed and show 'not detected.' E. coli and Salmonella should both show 'absent' or 'not detected.' Yeast/mold and aerobic plate counts have specific numerical limits per AHPA guidelines.

Why does each batch need its own COA?

Because kratom is an agricultural product, alkaloid concentrations and contamination risk vary from harvest to harvest, even from the same supplier. A COA from six months ago tells you nothing about the bag of powder you're actually opening. A vendor doing this correctly will publish a fresh COA for every production batch, and the batch number on the COA will match the one printed on your specific product's label.

Quality & Testing · 9 min read · April 22, 2026

How to Read a Kratom Certificate of Analysis (COA)

A Certificate of Analysis is the only objective proof that a kratom product is what the label says it is. Learn how to spot a real third-party COA, decode alkaloid percentages, and verify heavy-metal and microbial safety panels.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Certificate of Analysis (COA)?: A Certificate of Analysis is a laboratory document that reports the test results for a specific batch of a product. For kratom, a complete COA shows the percentage of mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine alkaloids, heavy-metal levels (lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury), microbial counts (Salmonella, E. coli, total yeast and mold), and any solvent or pesticide residues. Each COA is tied to a specific batch number and date — not to the brand as a whole.
How do I verify a COA is real?: First, the COA should come from an accredited third-party lab — not the vendor's own internal lab. The lab's name, address, and accreditation (often ISO 17025) should be on the document. Second, the batch number on the COA should match the batch number printed on the product label. Third, you can call or email the issuing lab and confirm they tested that batch. Reputable vendors publish PDFs of every batch's COA openly on their website.
What mitragynine percentage is normal for kratom?: Raw kratom leaf typically contains 0.5–2% mitragynine by dry weight. Standardized kratom extracts can range from 10% to 75%+ mitragynine concentration, depending on the extraction method. The 7-hydroxymitragynine fraction in natural leaf is much smaller — usually well under 0.1%. If a 'kratom' product shows a 7-OH percentage anywhere close to or higher than its mitragynine percentage, that's a strong signal of synthetic spiking, not natural leaf material.
What heavy-metal limits should I look for on a COA?: Look for limits aligned with the American Herbal Products Association and KCPA-style thresholds: lead under 1 ppm, arsenic under 1.5 ppm, cadmium under 0.5 ppm, and mercury under 0.1 ppm (parts per million). A reputable COA reports the actual measured value alongside the limit, so you can see how far below the threshold the batch tested — not just a binary 'pass.'
What microbial tests should a kratom COA include?: At minimum: total aerobic plate count, yeast and mold, E. coli, Salmonella, and total coliforms. Salmonella has historically been the most serious kratom contamination issue (it triggered FDA recalls in 2018), so the Salmonella result should be explicitly listed and show 'not detected.' E. coli and Salmonella should both show 'absent' or 'not detected.' Yeast/mold and aerobic plate counts have specific numerical limits per AHPA guidelines.
Why does each batch need its own COA?: Because kratom is an agricultural product, alkaloid concentrations and contamination risk vary from harvest to harvest, even from the same supplier. A COA from six months ago tells you nothing about the bag of powder you're actually opening. A vendor doing this correctly will publish a fresh COA for every production batch, and the batch number on the COA will match the one printed on your specific product's label.

Kratom GMP Standards Explained: What 'AKA Qualified Vendor' Really Means — Good Manufacturing Practice is the difference between a tested, traceable kratom product and an unverified powder bagged in someone's garage. Here's exactly what GMP audits cover and why the AKA's GMP Qualified Vendor seal is the strongest trust signal in kratom.
How 4 Leaf Herbals Sources Its Kratom: The Full Supply Chain, Top to Bottom — Most kratom on the US market changes hands through anonymous brokers between Indonesian growers and US retailers — which is why so many products test poorly, drift in alkaloid content, or carry inconsistent contamination profiles. We do things differently. Here is the full supply chain behind every product we ship: grower relationships, sourcing protocols, transport, lab testing, and packaging.
Kratom Dosage Guide — Beginner doses and dose-by-weight chart for safe use.
Lab Results Library — Every batch's third-party Certificate of Analysis.