Testing desk · Interactive
Annotated COA: read a peptide certificate field by field
Select a numbered marker on the specimen to see what that field proves and what it doesn't. Track your progress through all 13. Works with keyboard, and without JavaScript.
Certificate of Analysis
- Client 3
- Anonymous
- Sample (as labeled) 4
- "Peptide X" 10 mg
- Lot / batch 5
- LOT-EXAMPLE-01
- Received / tested 6
- YYYY-MM-DD / YYYY-MM-DD
7 Method: RP-HPLC, C18, 214 nm, water/ACN + 0.1% TFA gradient · ESI-MS (positive)
| Test | Result | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Purity (HPLC) 8 | 98.9 % | area % |
| Identity (MS) 9 | Expected 0000.0 / found 0000.1 | conforms |
| Amount 10 | 8.7 mg | vs reference |
| Endotoxin / sterility 11 | Not requested | — |
Tall peak: main compound · two small peaks: impurities · x-axis: retention time (min)
Analyst: signed · Approved: signed 13
Results relate only to the sample tested.
All 13 fields, explained
- 1
Lab name and address
Who issued the report. Find the lab's website yourself and check that this exact name and address appear there.
Red flag: Missing address, a lab name you can't find online, or a logo on an otherwise generic template.
- 2
Report / task number and key
The identifier you enter on the lab's own verification page. Janoshik uses a task number plus a unique key.
Red flag: No code at all, a cropped-off code, or a "verify" link that goes to the seller's site.
- 3
Client
Who sent the sample: the vendor, an anonymous client or a testing project. This tells you who chose the vial.
Red flag: A vendor-sent sample is fine, but it is the vendor's pick, not a random retail vial.
- 4
Sample as labeled
The compound name and labeled amount, copied from the vial or the client's description. It is not a lab finding.
Red flag: A different strength or compound name from the vial in your hand.
- 5
Lot / batch number
Ties the report to one production lot. It must match the lot printed on your vial.
Red flag: No lot number, or the same report reused for "every batch".
- 6
Dates received and tested
When the lab received and analyzed the sample. Peptides degrade, and stock turns over.
Red flag: Reports years old for a product that has been restocked many times.
- 7
Method details
HPLC column, mobile phase, detection wavelength (often 210-220 nm for peptides) and MS mode. Method choices affect the purity figure.
Red flag: No method stated at all.
- 8
Purity (HPLC area %)
Main peak area as a share of all integrated UV peak area. Measures relative cleanliness, not identity or amount.
Red flag: A purity-only report presented as proof of "quality" or safety.
- 9
Identity (mass spectrometry)
Expected vs observed molecular mass. This catches substituted or wrong peptides that look "pure" on HPLC.
Red flag: Identity marked "conforms" with no masses shown.
- 10
Amount / net content
Measured milligrams of peptide in the vial, against a reference standard. This is different from purity.
Red flag: Only gross powder weight, or no amount test.
- 11
Tests not performed
Endotoxin, sterility and heavy metals are separate orders. "Not requested" means the report says nothing about them.
Red flag: Assuming a purity report covers contamination. It does not.
- 12
Chromatogram
The raw HPLC trace. Look for a flat baseline, one sharp main peak, and small peaks that are listed rather than ignored.
Red flag: No trace, or a trace with a cropped axis.
- 13
Analyst / approval
Who ran and approved the analysis. Accountability, not a guarantee.
Red flag: Typed name with no lab contact or verification route.
Why the fields matter more than the headline number
Most certificates shared online are judged on a single figure: the purity percentage. But purity is just one row. A report can show 99% purity for a sample that is the wrong compound, holds less than the labeled amount, or carries endotoxin that no one tested for. The fields around that number tell you whether the report is genuine, whether it applies to your vial, and which questions it actually answered.
Forgery is not hypothetical. In the federal case against the owner of Paradigm Peptides, prosecutors and press reports said lab certificates had been forged (our report). The only reliable defense is to verify a report directly with the lab that supposedly issued it, using the code printed on it, then match the lot.
The certificate above is invented for teaching. The lab name, address, codes, compound and results are placeholders that refer to no real lab or product. For real labs and how each verifies its reports, see our lab profiles.
Frequently asked questions
What is a COA for peptides?
A certificate of analysis is a lab report describing tests run on a specific sample: typically HPLC purity, sometimes mass-spec identity, amount, endotoxin or sterility. It describes that sample only.
Is the certificate on this page real?
No. It is a fictional specimen built to explain the fields. The lab, compound name, lot and numbers are invented and do not describe any real product or lab.
What is the single most important check?
Verify the report on the issuing lab's own website using its code, then confirm the lot number matches your vial.