08 · FEMETRIC REFERENCE
How to Read a COA
A practical peptide COA guide for matching a lot to its tests, methods, results and laboratory record.- Material
- Exact compound / form
- Laboratory
- Named issuer
- Test date
- Date shown
| Test | Method | Specification | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identity | Named MS method | Defined | Reported |
| Purity | HPLC method | Defined | Reported |
| Sterility | Dedicated test | Defined | Only if tested |
| Endotoxin | Dedicated test | Defined | Only if tested |
Match the product before reading the result
Start with the exact compound name, strength or formulation, and the lot or batch identifier. The lot on the certificate should match the container or product record. A report for a different lot is not a substitute for the material in front of you.
Check who tested it and when
A useful report identifies the laboratory or issuer, report date, test date where available, test method, specification and result. A logo or a percentage without this context is not a complete laboratory record.
Purity, identity and sterility answer different questions
PURITY ≠ IDENTITY ≠ STERILITY. Purity describes the proportion of material detected under a stated method. Identity asks whether the expected substance is present. Sterility addresses viable microorganisms under a dedicated validated test. None of these results automatically establishes the other two.
| Question | Common evidence | What it cannot establish alone |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | Named identity method, often mass spectrometry | Purity, sterility or endotoxin status |
| Purity | HPLC or related-substances method | Identity, sterility or endotoxin status |
| Sterility | Dedicated sterility test | Identity, purity or endotoxin status |
| Endotoxin | Dedicated endotoxin method | Sterility, identity or purity status |
Read the method, not just the number
HPLC can separate and characterize detected material under the stated conditions. Mass spectrometry can support molecular identity. Assay or content measures an amount under a named method. Look for the method, acceptance criteria and numerical or categorical result together.
Know the limits of a COA
A COA can document the specific tests reported for a specific sample or lot. It cannot by itself establish how a product was stored, whether the report corresponds to every unit sold, suitability for a particular use, or the results of tests that were not performed.
Continue the vendor review
Use a COA alongside product labeling, lot matching, testing recency and vendor transparency. FEMETRIC does not use affiliate status as a testing or quality signal.