The header: who, what and which batch
Check four things first: the lab name, the product name, the lot or batch number, and a report ID you can look up. A certificate with no batch number cannot be matched to a vial, and one with no lab name cannot be checked.
Identity: is it the right molecule?
Identity is usually confirmed by mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The lab compares the observed mass with the compound’s theoretical mass in daltons (Da). A typical acceptance window is plus or minus 1 Da. For a blend, the certificate should confirm each component separately.
Purity: how much of the material is the target peptide?
Purity is measured by reverse-phase HPLC and reported as an area percentage of the chromatogram. Look for the result and the specification it was judged against, for example “≥ 99.25 area %”. A purity figure with no stated method or limit tells you less.
Net peptide content: how much is in the vial?
Purity and amount are different questions. Net peptide content is measured by quantitative HPLC against a reference standard and compared with the label claim, often within plus or minus 10%. A sample can be very pure and still hold less than the label says, so look for both numbers.
Screens
- Microbial DNA screen (rapid PCR): looks for microbial DNA. It is a research screen and is not the same as a USP <71> sterility test.
- Adulterant screen (LC-MS/MS): checks for a named list of contaminants, for example fentanyl and its analogs, against a stated detection limit. It is a targeted screen, not a test for everything.
The limits printed on the certificate
Read the small print. Results relate only to the sample tested. When the client submitted the sample, the lab does not attest that it represents the whole batch. A “pass” means the result met the stated specification and nothing more.
Verify it online
The strongest check is the lab’s own record. Scan the QR code or enter the report ID on the lab’s verification page, then confirm that the product and batch match your vial. Our certificates are listed on the certificates page.
Red flags
- No batch or lot number, or a batch number that doesn’t match the vial.
- No lab name, or no way to look up the report with the lab.
- Results written as “conforms” or “pass” with no numbers and no specification.
- Identity claimed without mass-spec data.
- The same certificate reused across different batches or products.