Has anybody read this report? They found that ~44% of flower tested from stores was outside of the legally required ±15% for potency on labels in Colorado. One of the authors will be presenting this to the MED next week during discussions about implementing a statewide off the shelf surveillance testing program. Does anyone with an analytical background have any input on their methodology? Are there any similar studies that have been done in states that do not allow for a business to pull their own samples prior to sending out to a lab? I would imagine sampling bias is part of why this is happening, but I have also seen a lot of variability in potency on concentrates both within one lab and between different labs. Any thoughts on what an ideal potency testing program should look like? Personally I think potency testing for inhalables has ruined most customers and driven down the overall quality of flower to chase a number that doesn’t necessarily represent the effects you are going to get.
Good reason to get a Light Lab by Orange Photonics. Instead of trusting a coa, you can run a sample on the spot to verify potency before accepting a batch. Works on flower, concentrate, edibles, and more. If anyone is interested in picking one up, let me know, and I’ll help get you the best package for your testing needs!
my interpretation of that paper was that bud tested accurately at 56.7% and concentrates tested at 96% accuracy. I would think those results would be more so be due to homogenization & crop variation throughout the grow.
It is easy to homogenize a batch of concentrate. Compared to getting a homogenized sample of buds from an entire harvest. So I would guess yes also sampling bias for flower.
I also agree, think the testing really does not help in a consumers purchase process or identify a beneficial product. in our program they removed full COA profiles and only show total THC online.
(I’m guessing so you can’t identify the hemp lol)
“outside of the legally required ±15% for potency on labels in Colorado”
Unless you are testing each plant individually, this seems like a tough goal to hit. Lowers from one plant versus tops from another plant id think would vary more than 15% in potency.