How to Read a Peptide Certificate of Analysis (COA): A Worked Example
Quick answer: on a peptide certificate of analysis (COA), check six things in order. Look for the laboratory, the product and batch, the test date, the purity, the measured content and whether you can verify it. If any of these is missing or doesn't match your product, ask the supplier before you rely on it.
A COA, section by section
| Section | What it tells you | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Laboratory details | Who carried out the analysis | A named lab with an address. Is it independent of the seller? |
| Report / order number | The lab's unique reference for this test | Can you use it to look up the result with the lab? |
| Sample description | The product name and declared quantity | Does it match the product you are buying? |
| Test date | When the sample was analysed | Is it recent? |
| Method | How it was tested, e.g. HPLC with column and solvent gradient | Is a method actually stated? |
| Purity (%) | The share of the main peak among all detected peaks | Compare it with the supplier's stated standard |
| Measured content | How much compound was found in the vial | Is it at least the amount on the label? |
| Chromatogram | The raw trace behind the purity figure | One dominant peak with small minor peaks |
| Sample photo | The actual vial that was tested | Does it match the product as supplied? |
Worked example: an ELEVR certificate
Here is how one of our current reports reads, using our BPC-157 10mg certificate:
- Laboratory: Analiza Białek sp. z o.o., Wrocław, Poland, an independent lab.
- Purity (HPLC): 99%.
- Measured content: 10.02mg against a declared 10mg.
- Tested: 18 June 2026.
- Method: BioBasic 8 (Thermo Scientific) column, H₂O / acetonitrile gradient with 0.1% TFA. Measurement error ± 0.05mg.
- Verification: lab order number 100015337, with a password printed on the report, so you can check the result on the lab's own portal.
The codes for every product are on our Certification (COA) & Compliance page.
What a real certificate looks like
Below is one of our published certificates in full — the NAD+ 500mg report from Analiza Białek. Note the photograph of the actual vial tested, the lab’s own order number, and the complete results, published whole rather than cropped to a single figure.
Every current certificate is on our certificates page.
Reading the numbers correctly
Purity is relative. An HPLC purity figure compares the main peak with everything else the detector picked up. A higher figure means fewer detectable impurities in that sample.
Content is absolute. Measured content tells you how much compound is actually present. A content figure slightly above the label is normal and acceptable. A figure clearly below it is not.
Measurement error is normal. Every method has a stated tolerance. Read small differences in that light.
What a COA does not tell you
- It describes the sample tested, not every unit ever produced.
- It does not cover endotoxins, sterility, heavy metals or residual solvents unless those tests are listed.
- It is not evidence of safety or of any effect in humans or animals.
Your 60-second COA checklist
- ☐ Named, independent laboratory
- ☐ Product and quantity match what you're buying
- ☐ Test date shown
- ☐ Method stated
- ☐ Purity figure present
- ☐ Measured content at or above the label amount
- ☐ Full report, not a cropped image
- ☐ Result can be verified with the laboratory
Frequently asked questions
What purity should I expect?
Suppliers set their own thresholds. ELEVR only lists batches that test at 99% purity by HPLC.
How do I verify an ELEVR certificate?
Take the lab order number and password from our certificates page and enter them on the Analiza Białek results portal. The lab's own record of the result will be shown.
What if my product's certificate isn't listed yet?
Email info@elevr.co and we'll send the documentation we hold for your batch.
All ELEVR products are supplied strictly for laboratory research use only. They are not medicines and are not for human or veterinary use.
Related guides: Research peptide supplier checklist · Peptide purity vs measured content