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More than half of tested CBD teas and coffees had inaccurate CBD levels: study

New research from CBD industry watchdog, Leafreport.com, says that 15 of 29 (or 53 per cent) of CBD tea and coffee products tested had the wrong amount of cannabidiol (CBD) content in it. The products tested were off from the labelled CBD content anywhere from 11.5 to 62 per cent.

“You can find CBD in almost anything, including tea and coffee, but do these products contain as much CBD as advertised, and are they accurately delivering what is promised to consumers? We felt it was important to test these products to get an answer to these questions,” said Lital Shafir, the head of product at Leafreport. “Reports like this shed light on CBD products, educate consumers and hopefully encourage companies to be more diligent about their testing standards.”

Leafreport used SC Laboratories Inc. in Santa Cruz, Calif. as a third-party testing facility for its study. Leafreport compared the certificates of analysis (CoAs) created by SC Labs with advertised amounts and also looked at what other cannabinoids were detected by the tests. The results were then graded:

1. A (Excellent): independent lab tests showed CBD levels that were within 10 per cent of what was stated on the label.
2. B (Decent): independent lab tests showed CBD levels that were within 20 per cent of the label.
3. C (Poor): independent lab tests showed CBD levels that were within 30 per cent of the label.
4. F (Fail): independent lab tests showed CBD levels that differed from the label by more than 30 per cent.

The company found that out of 14 teas and coffees advertised to contain full or broad spectrum hemp extract, 11 (79 per cent) were accurate and three only contained CBD.

Fourteen of the 29 total products tested (48 per cent) had CBD levels within 10 per cent of the label, which is required for an A rating.

Brands with multiple products scored well for one product but had lower scores for another product, indicating consistency issues.

In addition, Leafreport tested three hemp-containing teas and coffees that didn’t claim to provide a specific amount of CBD. The tests found CBD and other cannabinoids in all three.

Leafreport has done similar third-party testing investigations of CBD oils, drinks, edibles, topicals, pet products, and even delta-8 THC. It is a science-based, peer-reviewed website designed to help consumers navigate the CBD landscape.