Quick answer
A peptide certificate of analysis (COA) is a lab report for one batch. To read it, match the batch number to your vial. Then check that a named lab did the testing, and read the identity and purity results. A purity result alone does not show that the vial is sterile or free of endotoxin. [1][4]
Key facts
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A COA describes one batch. The batch number on the report should match the batch on your packing slip or vial label. [1][4]
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HPLC purity is the main peak’s share of what the test detected. It is not the share of the powder that is peptide. [3][8]
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Identity needs its own test, usually mass spectrometry. A very pure sample can still be the wrong molecule. [3]
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In a 2015 study of 98 lab peptides from two suppliers, every certificate claimed at least 95.0% purity. On retesting, only 44.0% met it. [3]
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A purity test does not cover sterility, endotoxin, heavy metals or residual solvents. Each needs its own test. [1][9][10]
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A COA does not change a peptide’s legal status in Canada. [11]
What is a peptide certificate of analysis (COA)?
A certificate of analysis is a lab report for one specific batch of a product. It lists the tests run on a sample, the methods used and the actual results. [4] A batch, also called a lot, is the amount made in one production run. Everything from that run is identified by the same batch number.
Health Canada’s guide for drug manufacturers says a certificate should show actual numerical results. It should also refer to the batch number, the specifications and the validated test methods used. [4] Those rules are written for licensed drug makers, not research suppliers. They are still a useful benchmark for any COA.
A COA is evidence about the sample the lab received. It only tells you about your vial if both came from the same batch. [1]
What should a peptide COA include?
A complete peptide COA tells you who tested which batch of which compound. It also shows how each result was measured and what was found. This table shows each line and what to check.
| COA line | What it tells you | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Laboratory name and contact details | Who did the testing | A named lab with an address and phone number, not only a logo [4] |
| Report number and date | Which report this is | The lab can confirm the number when you contact it |
| Sample or compound name | What was sent for testing | The exact compound, and its salt form if stated (for example, acetate) |
| Batch or lot number | Which production run was tested | It matches the batch on your packing slip or vial label [1] |
| Method | How each result was measured | Each result names its method, such as HPLC or mass spectrometry [4] |
| Identity result | Whether it is the right molecule | The measured mass fits the expected compound [3] |
| Purity result | The main peak’s share of what was detected | A number with its method, ideally with the chromatogram [3] |
| Content or quantity | How much of the powder is peptide | Shown separately; it is not the same as purity [8] |
| Other tests | Sterility, endotoxin, metals, solvents | Listed only if they were actually done [1] |
How do you read a peptide COA, step by step?
Read a COA in this order. Each step is explained in the sections below.
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Match the batch. Find the batch or lot number on the report. It should match the batch on your packing slip or vial label. [1]
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Check who tested it. Look for a named lab with an address and phone number. [4]
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Check identity. Confirm the report names the right compound and gives a mass result that fits it. [3]
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Read purity with its method. A percentage with no named method tells you very little. [4]
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Look for what is missing. Note any test that is not on the report, such as endotoxin or sterility. [1]
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Confirm the report with the lab. Contact the lab yourself with the report number.
What does HPLC purity on a COA mean?
HPLC purity is the size of the main peak compared with all the peaks the test detected. [3] HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatography) pushes a dissolved sample through a column. Different molecules come out at different times and show up as peaks on a graph called a chromatogram.
A result of 99% means the target peak made up 99% of what that method could see. It does not mean that 99% of the powder in the vial is peptide. [3][8]
The result also depends on the method. In a 2015 study, researchers retested 98 peptides bought from two suppliers. Their certificates claimed at least 95.0% purity. Only 44.0% met that purity. The authors wrote that the supplier’s method “clearly lacked selectivity,” meaning it could not separate some impurities from the peptide. [3]
For purity grades and what they mean for research, see our guide to peptide purity.
How does a COA show the peptide is the right one?
A COA shows identity with a separate test, usually mass spectrometry (MS). MS measures the mass of the molecules in a sample (strictly, their mass-to-charge ratio). The lab then compares the measured mass with the mass the peptide should have.
Identity matters because purity alone cannot prove it. In the 2015 study, the main peak was the requested peptide for 14 of 15 peptides examined in detail. The authors warned that the main peak “might be an impurity instead of the requested peptide,” so MS is needed in quality control. [3] The most common impurities they found were versions of the peptide missing one or more amino acids. [3]
Also check that the identity fields fit the compound. One of Boreal’s own certificates, for a four-compound blend, lists only the CAS number (a unique chemical registry number) and molecular weight of GHK-Cu. A four-compound blend cannot have one CAS number. [1]
Is net peptide content the same as purity?
No. Purity compares peaks in a test. Net peptide content is the share of the powder that is peptide material, rather than counter-ions and water. [8] Counter-ions are charged molecules, such as acetate or trifluoroacetate (TFA), that stay bound to the peptide after it is made. [8]
Bachem, a peptide manufacturer, uses 85% as an example of net peptide content. It notes that peptides with many basic amino acids, especially arginine, tend to have lower content. [8] So a 99% purity result and the amount of peptide in the powder measure different things.
What does a purity COA not test?
An HPLC purity result does not test for sterility, endotoxin, heavy metals, residual solvents or microbes. Each of these needs its own test. [1][9][10] If a test is not listed on the COA, assume it was not done.
| Test | What it looks for | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Sterility | Living bacteria or fungi. Samples are watched for 14 days under methods such as USP <71>. [10] | Purity says nothing about living microbes |
| Endotoxin | Toxins from the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria. Tested with the Bacterial Endotoxins (LAL) Test. [9] | Endotoxins can cause fever [9] |
| Heavy metals | Toxic metal contamination | Health Canada lists heavy metals among contaminants in unauthorized peptides [11] |
| Residual solvents | Chemicals left over from manufacturing | Health Canada lists solvents among those contaminants too [11] |
| Content or quantity | How much peptide is in the vial | Purity does not measure amount [8] |
Health Canada’s April 2026 advisory lists solvents, heavy metals, particles and microbes, including endotoxins, among the risks of unauthorized peptides. It also warns that products may contain too much, too little or none of the active ingredient. [11] A purity test answers none of these risks.
How can you tell if a COA is real?
Confirm the report with the lab, not just with the seller’s PDF. Find the lab’s contact details yourself, then send the report number and batch number and ask the lab to confirm the result.
A verification link only helps if a made-up code fails. Boreal tested the verification address printed on its Medutest certificates. It sent five requests, one with a code it invented. All five returned identical pages, down to the same file size and checksum. [1] So we do not rely on that link, and we suggest you contact the lab directly.
If a lab claims accreditation, check it. ISO/IEC 17025 is the international standard for testing labs. It sets requirements for competence, impartiality and consistent operation. [6] In Canada, the Standards Council of Canada publishes a directory of accredited organizations. Most listings link to a scope of accreditation, which shows the tests the accreditation covers. [7]
Finally, ask for the chromatogram. A full report shows the peaks behind the purity number. For one lab’s reports specifically, see our guide to verifying a Janoshik report.
What are the red flags on a peptide COA?
The main red flags are a wrong or missing batch number, no named lab, no method, no identity result and a link that cannot fail. One red flag is enough to ask the seller or the lab for an explanation.
| Red flag | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| No batch number, or one that does not match your vial | The report may describe a different batch [1] |
| No named lab, address or phone number | You cannot confirm the report with anyone [4] |
| A purity figure with no method | The number cannot be judged [4] |
| No identity result | A pure sample can still be the wrong molecule [3] |
| Identity data that fit a different compound | For example, a blend certificate carrying one compound’s CAS number [1] |
| A verification link that shows the same page for a made-up code | It cannot confirm the report; contact the lab instead |
| Claims such as “sterile” or “endotoxin-free” that are not on the COA | A purity test does not cover them [1] |
Does a COA mean a peptide is safe or legal in Canada?
No. A COA describes what a lab measured in one sample. It does not show that a product is safe. [1] Health Canada says peptides are generally regulated as prescription drugs in Canada, and unauthorized drug products are illegal. [11] It also says a “For Research Use Only” label does not make a product legal or exempt from the rules. [11]
For the wider legal picture, see our guide “Are peptides legal in Canada?”.
What do our own certificates show?
We sell peptides, so we have a conflict of interest when we write about testing. These are the facts from our own published records, including the problems.
Published testing data: Boreal Peptides
- Tested: 17 of 31 products have a third-party purity certificate. The other 14 are marked “not tested”. [1][2]
- Laboratories: Medutest (15 reports) and Janoshik (2 reports). [1]
- Method: each figure is the lab’s HPLC assay of identity and purity of the tested sample. Ask for the full report to see the identity method used. None of our products is tested for sterility or endotoxin, and none is supplied sterile. [1]
- Accreditation: we have not confirmed whether either lab holds ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation.
- Open problem: two blend certificates carry identity data for a single compound. We have asked the lab what was analysed. [1]
- Verification: our test of the Medutest verification address returned identical pages for real codes and one invented code. We do not rely on it to confirm reports. [1]
- Corrections: we published two wrong purity figures, for BPC-157 and Semax, and corrected both. [1]
To get the report for your vial, name the compound and include your order number. We match it to the batch on your packing slip. [1]
People also ask
Who should issue a peptide COA?
Ideally an independent laboratory that is named on the report. Health Canada’s drug manufacturing guide covers certificates passed on by an agent or broker. It says they should show the testing lab’s name, address and phone number, with the original certificate attached. [4]
Is a supplier’s COA enough?
Not on its own, even for licensed drug makers. In the US, a manufacturer that accepts a supplier’s report of analysis must still run at least one specific identity test. It must also check the reliability of the supplier’s results at intervals. [5]
What is ISO/IEC 17025?
ISO/IEC 17025 is the international standard for testing and calibration laboratories. It sets requirements for competence, impartiality and consistent operation. The 2017 edition was published in November 2017. [6]
Read more: How can you tell if a COA is real?
What is a chromatogram?
A chromatogram is the graph an HPLC test produces. Each peak is a substance coming out of the test column at a different time. Purity is worked out from the size of the main peak compared with all the peaks. [3]
Read more: What does HPLC purity on a COA mean?
What does a batch or lot number mean?
It identifies one production run, so it links a lab report to the product you received. Boreal, for example, matches each report to an order through the batch reference on the packing slip. [1]
Sources and methodology
This guide was compiled from regulator publications, a peer-reviewed study, international standards and Boreal’s own published testing records. Claims are linked to numbered sources below. It contains no dosing information and makes no claim that any compound treats, prevents or improves any condition.
How this guide was made: we researched and drafted it with AI assistance. We then checked every claim against its cited source, and the owner of Boreal Peptides reviewed it before publication.
Last reviewed: October 21, 2026. Next review: January 2027, or sooner if our lab results page changes. Read our editorial policy.
Research use only
Boreal Peptides supplies compounds for laboratory research use only. Nothing on this page is medical advice. Products are not approved for human or veterinary use. Read our research use disclaimer before ordering.
Sources
- Boreal Peptides. Lab results (checked October 21, 2026). https://borealpeptides.com/lab-results/
- Boreal Peptides. FAQs: Testing, certificates and purity (checked October 21, 2026). https://borealpeptides.com/faqs/
- Verbeke F, Wynendaele E, Braet S, D’Hondt M, De Spiegeleer B. Quality evaluation of synthetic quorum sensing peptides used in R&D. Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis, 2015;5(3):169-181. DOI 10.1016/j.jpha.2014.12.002. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5762210/
- Health Canada. Good manufacturing practices guide for drug products (GUI-0001), section C.02.010, raw material testing. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/compliance-enforcement/good-manufacturing-practices/guidance-documents/gmp-guidelines-0001/document.html
- US Code of Federal Regulations. 21 CFR 211.84, Testing and approval or rejection of components, drug product containers, and closures. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-211/subpart-E/section-211.84
- International Organization for Standardization. ISO/IEC 17025:2017, General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. https://www.iso.org/standard/66912.html
- Standards Council of Canada. Accredited organizations directory. https://scc-ccn.ca/search/accredited-organizations
- Bachem. What does net peptide content mean? https://www.bachem.com/helpie_faq/what-does-net-peptide-content-mean/
- US Food and Drug Administration. Bacterial Endotoxins/Pyrogens, Inspection Technical Guide No. 40, 1985. https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/inspection-technical-guides/bacterial-endotoxinspyrogens
- Sartorius. Regulatory standards for sterility testing. https://www.sartorius.com/en/knowledge/science-snippets/regulatory-standards-for-sterility-testing-693916
- Health Canada. Think twice before injecting peptides bought online: unauthorized products can seriously harm you. April 9, 2026. https://recalls-rappels.canada.ca/en/alert-recall/think-twice-injecting-peptides-bought-online-unauthorized-products-can-seriously-harm
