Reading a COA: How to Spot Fake Kratom Lab Tests (2025)

Introduction: The Lab Test Lie

Walk into any gas station, and you’ll find kratom in flashy packaging with bold claims: “Lab Tested!” “Premium Quality!” “Certified Pure!”

The reality: 60-70% of these products have NO legitimate lab testing, and another 20% use fake or manipulated COAs.

A Certificate of Analysis (COA) is supposed to verify:

Alkaloid content (potency)
Heavy metal contamination
Microbial safety (bacteria, mold)

But most consumers can’t read them. Vendors exploit this by:

Photoshopping numbers
Using months-old tests for new batches
Testing one “clean” batch, then selling untested product

This guide teaches you to read a COA like a pharmacologist so you never buy contaminated, weak, or dangerous kratom again.

[!NOTE] Image Prompt 1: Side-by-side comparison of two COA documents. Left: “LEGITIMATE COA” with professional lab letterhead, batch numbers matching product, recent test date (within 30 days), clear pass/fail indicators. Right: “FAKE COA” with poor formatting, no batch number, test date from 6 months ago, suspiciously perfect numbers (all exactly at limits). Document comparison style highlighting key differences with arrows and annotations.

Alt Text: “Side-by-side comparison showing visual differences between legitimate and fake kratom lab test certificates”

Anatomy of a Real COA (The 7 Essential Sections)

1. Lab Information (Credibility Check)

What to Look For:

Accredited Lab: ISO 17025 certification (gold standard)
Third-Party: NOT the vendor’s in-house lab
Contact Info: Phone, email, website (must be verifiable)

Legitimate Labs:

Wonderland Labs (Portland, OR)
Kaycha Labs (Florida)
SC Labs (California)
Green Leaf Lab (Oregon)

Red Flags:

Lab name you can’t Google
No address listed
“Internal Testing Facility” (conflict of interest)

2. Batch/Lot Number (Traceability)

What It Should Look Like:

Alphanumeric code: RMD-2025-01-B47
Matches code on your kratom bag EXACTLY
Unique per batch (never repeated)

How to Verify:

Take photo of your bag’s batch number
Compare to COA batch number
Contact lab directly: “Can you confirm batch RMD-2025-01-B47 was tested on [date]?”

Red Flags:

No batch number on COA
Batch number doesn’t match your product
Same batch number across multiple months (impossible)

3. Test Date (Freshness)

Acceptable Timeline:

Ideal: 0-30 days old
Acceptable: 30-90 days (if stored properly)
Suspicious: 90+ days (alkaloids degrade)

Storage Degradation:

Mitragynine loses ~15% potency per year (room temp)
7-OH degrades faster (~25% annually)

Red Flags:

Test date from 6+ months ago
No test date listed
Date format inconsistent (e.g., European DD/MM/YYYY vs US MM/DD/YYYY - check which makes sense)

4. Alkaloid Panel (Potency Verification)

Critical Numbers:

Mitragynine:

Red Vein Target: 1.2-1.6%
Green Vein Target: 1.0-1.4%
White Vein Target: 0.9-1.3%

7-Hydroxymitragynine:

Normal Range: 0.01-0.05%
Red Veins: 0.025-0.045% (higher)
White Veins: 0.015-0.025% (lower)

Total Alkaloids:

Quality Kratom: 1.5-2.0% total
Low Quality: <1.2% total

What FAKE COAs Do:

List suspiciously high numbers (2.5% mitragynine - nearly impossible)
Round numbers (exactly 1.5%, not 1.47%)
Missing 7-OH entirely (cheap labs don’t test for it)

[!NOTE] Image Prompt 2: An infographic showing acceptable vs suspicious alkaloid ranges. Three horizontal bar charts: 1) Mitragynine % with green “acceptable” zone (1.0-1.6%), yellow “low quality” (<1.0%), red “fake/impossible” (>2.0%). 2) 7-OH % with similar zones. 3) Total alkaloids % ranges. Each chart has example numbers and visual indicators. Clean scientific chart style with color-coded zones.

Alt Text: “Bar chart infographic showing acceptable, suspicious, and fake alkaloid percentage ranges for kratom lab tests”

Heavy Metals Testing (The Cancer Check)

Why It Matters

Kratom trees are hyperaccumulators—they pull heavy metals from soil into leaves:

Lead (Pb): Neurotoxic, especially to children
Cadmium (Cd): Kidney damage, bone disease
Arsenic (As): Carcinogen
Mercury (Hg): Neurological damage

Source of Contamination:

Industrial pollution near farms (Indonesia, Malaysia)
Contaminated irrigation water
Poor agricultural practices

The Numbers You Need

FDA/USP Limits (Daily Intake Limits):

Lead: <0.5 ppm (parts per million)
Cadmium: <0.5 ppm
Arsenic: <2.0 ppm
Mercury: <0.2 ppm

Typical Daily Dose: 5-10g kratom

Risk Calculation: If kratom has 0.3 ppm lead and you take 10g/day:

Daily lead intake: 0.3 mg × (10g / 1000g) = 0.003 mg = 3 μg

EPA Safe Level: 3.5 μg/day for adults
Result: Just barely safe (no margin for error)

Best Practice: Only buy kratom with heavy metals at <50% of FDA limits

How to Read the Results

GOOD COA Example:

Lead (Pb): <0.2 ppm (PASS)
Cadmium (Cd): <0.1 ppm (PASS)
Arsenic (As): <0.5 ppm (PASS)
Mercury (Hg): <0.05 ppm (PASS)

BAD COA Example:

Lead: 0.48 ppm (PASS - barely!)
Cadmium: ND (Non-Detect - good)
Arsenic: NOT TESTED
Mercury: 0.19 ppm (PASS - very close to limit)

Red Flags:

Any metal “NOT TESTED”
Numbers exactly at limits (0.50 ppm - suspicious rounding)
Missing units (should be ppm or mg/kg)

[!NOTE] Image Prompt 3: A “safety report card” styled infographic showing heavy metal test results. Four panels for Pb, Cd, As, Hg. Each shows: 1) Actual test result number, 2) FDA limit reference line, 3) Safety margin visualization (green/yellow/red zones), 4) Pass/fail indicator. Example shows one concerning result (lead at 0.48 ppm, very close to 0.5 limit) highlighted. Professional lab report aesthetic.

Alt Text: “Safety report card showing heavy metal test results with visual indicators of how close results are to FDA safety limits”

Microbial Testing (The Contamination Panel)

What’s Being Tested

Pathogenic Bacteria:

Salmonella: Food poisoning, diarrhea, fever
E. coli: Severe intestinal infection
Staphylococcus aureus: Skin infections, toxic shock

Molds/Fungi:

Aspergillus: Causes lung infections (especially immunocompromised)
Total Yeast & Mold Count: Indicates storage conditions

Total Plate Count (TPC):

Measures ALL bacteria (good and bad)
Indicates overall hygiene during processing

The Acceptable Limits

Pathogens (Zero Tolerance):

Salmonella: NEGATIVE (even 1 colony = fail)
E. coli: <10 CFU/g (colony-forming units)
Staph aureus: <100 CFU/g

General Bacteria:

Total Plate Count: <10,000 CFU/g (AHPA standard)

Mold:

Total Yeast & Mold: <1,000 CFU/g

How to Read Results

GOOD COA:

Salmonella: Negative in 25g
E. coli: <10 CFU/g (PASS)
Total Plate Count: 850 CFU/g (PASS)
Yeast & Mold: 120 CFU/g (PASS)

BAD COA:

Salmonella: NOT TESTED
E. coli: 450 CFU/g (FAIL - way over limit)
TPC: 15,000 CFU/g (FAIL - unsanitary processing)

Red Flags:

Microbial section completely missing
“Results Pending” for weeks
High bacteria counts with “PASS” label (vendor lying)

Pesticides & Herbicides (Often Skipped)

Why Vendors Skip This Test

Cost: Pesticide screening adds $150-300 per batch (vs. $50 for basic panel)

Result: Only ~20% of COAs include pesticide testing

What to Look For

Common Contaminants in Kratom:

Glyphosate (Roundup): Probable carcinogen
Chlorpyrifos: Neurotoxic insecticide
Cypermethrin: Skin irritant, endocrine disruptor

No “Safe” Levels: Pesticides accumulate in body, especially with daily use

Best Practice:

Only buy from vendors who test EVERY batch for pesticides
Look for “Organic” certification (though rare for kratom)

How to Verify a COA is Real (Not Photoshopped)

The 5-Step Verification Process

Step 1: Contact the Lab Directly

Find lab’s phone number via Google (NOT from vendor’s website)
Call: “Can you confirm you tested batch [number] for [vendor name]?”
Legitimate labs keep records for 2+ years

Step 2: Check the Lab’s Database

Some labs (Wonderland, SC Labs) have online portals
Enter batch number to pull original PDF
Compare to vendor’s version

Step 3: Look for Digital Signatures

Real COAs have cryptographic signatures (QR codes, digital stamps)
Scan QR code to verify authenticity

Step 4: Analyze the PDF Metadata

Right-click PDF → Properties → Details
Check “Created” date matches test date
Check “Author” is the lab (not vendor’s name)

Step 5: Compare Formatting

Real COAs have consistent fonts, logos, spacing
Fake COAs often have misaligned text, blurry logos

[!NOTE] Image Prompt 4: A checklist-style infographic showing how to verify COA authenticity. Five numbered steps with icons: 1) Phone icon (call lab), 2) Computer screen (online database check), 3) QR code scan, 4) PDF metadata screenshot, 5) Magnifying glass over formatting details. Each step has “VERIFIED” checkmark or “SUSPICIOUS” X indicator. Tutorial-style layout.

Alt Text: “Five-step verification checklist for confirming authenticity of kratom lab test certificates”

Vendor Tricks: How They Fake Safety

Trick #1: “One Clean Batch, Sell Forever”

How It Works:

Test one kilog ram batch in January
Use that COA for all sales through December
New batches untested (may have contaminants)

How to Catch It:

Ask for batch-specific COA for the exact bag you purchased
If they send the same COA for multiple batches (red flag)

Trick #2: “Blend and Pray”

How It Works:

Test high-quality Indonesian batch
Blend it 50/50 with untested (cheaper) product
Sell blend using original COA

How to Catch It:

Effects weaker than expected (diluted alkaloids)
Vendor sells same strain for 30% less than competitors (too good to be true)

Trick #3: “Photoshop the Numbers”

How It Works:

Get real COA with mediocre results (1.1% mitragynine)
Edit PDF to show 1.5%
Most customers never verify

How to Catch It:

Font inconsistencies in edited numbers
Call lab to verify reported alkaloid %

Trick #4: “Pass That Old COA”

How It Works:

Use 6-month-old test
Claim “storage conditions preserved potency”

How to Catch It:

Demand COA within 60 days of purchase date
If they can’t provide, go elsewhere

Red Flags: When to Walk Away

Immediate Disqualifiers:

No COA available
“Internal testing only”
Batch number doesn’t match product
Test date >90 days old
Missing heavy metals panel
Missing microbial testing
Alkaloids seem too high (>1.8% mitragynine)
Vendor refuses to provide batch-specific COA
Lab doesn’t exist when you Google it

If ANY of these are true, do not purchase. Period.

The Cost of Lab Testing (Why Cheap Kratom is Risky)

What Legitimate Testing Costs (Per Batch)

Basic Panel (Alkaloids + Heavy Metals):

$150-250 per batch
Minimum 500g batch (wholesale)

Comprehensive Panel (+ Microbial + Pesticides):

$400-600 per batch

Cost Per Kilogram:

$0.30-1.20 added to vendor’s cost

Retail Price Impact: If vendor sells kg for $80:

Testing adds: $0.30-1.20 (0.4-1.5% price increase)

Why Some Don’t Test:

Gas station kratom: Bought for $20/kg wholesale, sold for $200
No testing = $1.20 extra profit per kg (6% margin boost)
Customers don’t demand it

Why Reputable Vendors DO Test:

Brand protection (one contamination scandal ruins business)
Legal liability (lawsuit risk)
Customer retention (connoisseurs demand COAs)

How to Demand Accountability

Before You Buy

Email the Vendor:

“Hi, I’m interested in your Red Maeng Da. Can you provide the COA for your current batch before I purchase? Specifically, I need to see:”

Batch/lot number

Test date (within 60 days)

Full alkaloid panel

Heavy metals (Pb, Cd, As, Hg)

Microbial testing

Their Response Tells You Everything:

Good: Sends PDF within 24 hours, batch number matches product listing
Bad: “It’s on our website” (but you can’t find it)
Terrible: “We don’t provide that to customers” (run away)

After You Buy

Verify Immediately:

Check bag for batch number
Request COA for that specific batch
Call lab to confirm authenticity
If anything fishy, REQUEST REFUND

Post Your Findings:

Reddit: r/kratom has vendor reviews
Trustpilot: Public vendor ratings
Social media: Tag vendor, ask for explanation

DIY Testing (For the Paranoid)

At-Home Heavy Metal Test Kits

Product: Test Assured Heavy Metal Test Kit ($25)

Tests for lead, cadmium, mercury
Not as precise as lab, but catches egregious contamination

How to Use:

Mix 2g kratom in 50ml distilled water
Add test reagent
Color change indicates contamination level

Limitation: Can’t tell exact ppm, only “present” vs “safe”

Send to Independent Lab (Ultimate Verification)

Cost: $75-150 for basic panel

Labs That Accept Consumer Samples:

Wonderland Labs (Oregon)
Analytical Labs Denver (Colorado)

Process:

Buy 25g extra of kratom
Mail to lab with request form
Compare results to vendor’s COA

When to Do This:

You buy kilograms wholesale
Vendor has reputation problems
You have unexplained side effects

[!NOTE] Image Prompt 5: A comparison of testing options. Three columns showing DIY test kit (at-home kit with test strips, $25, “Basic Screening”), vendor COA (official document, included, “Trust but Verify”), and independent lab verification (beaker and lab equipment, $75-150, “Ultimate Proof”). Each column has pros/cons list and recommended use cases. Infographic style with icons and pricing.

Alt Text: “Comparison of three testing options: DIY kits, vendor COAs, and independent lab verification with costs and reliability levels”

Conclusion: Trust But Verify

The Hard Truth: The kratom industry is 90% unregulated. Vendors range from meticulous (test every batch, full transparency) to criminal (no testing, fake COAs, contaminated product).

Your Responsibility:

Demand COAs for every purchase
Verify batch numbers match your product
Call the lab if anything seems off
Switch vendors without hesitation if red flags appear

The Numbers That Matter:

Mitragynine: 1.2-1.6% (quality)
7-OH: 0.01-0.05% (safety)
Lead: <0.3 ppm (margin of safety)
Salmonella: NEGATIVE (non-negotiable)

Final Rule: If a vendor can’t or won’t provide a legitimate, batch-specific, recent COA with heavy metals and microbial testing, they don’t deserve your money.

Quick Reference: COA Reading Checklist

Before Purchasing:

COA available on website or via email
Batch number matches product listing
Test date within 60 days
Accredited third-party lab (ISO 17025)
Alkaloids in normal range (not suspiciously high)
Heavy metals all <0.3 ppm
Microbial tests show all PASS
Lab is verifiable (Google, phone call)

After Receiving Product:

Batch number on bag matches COA
Effects match expected alkaloid %
No unusual taste/smell (contamination indicator)

If Suspicious:

Call lab to verify test results
Request refund from vendor
Post review warning others

Resources: Vendor Directory - Links to COA-verified kratom sources