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Authenticating Natural CBD through Carbon-14 Testing

Natural product testing through carbon-14 analysis is used to detect ingredient adulteration by differentiating between biological-derived and fossil fuel-derived sources. It has become a powerful tool for authenticating 100% biobased cannabidiol-based (CBD) ingredients.

CBD hemp flower

CBD Hemp Flower
Image credit: Norman Flecha (CC BY-SA)

CBD, a naturally occurring compound extracted from the Cannabis plant, is experiencing an increase in demand for its use in various products such as essential oils, personal care, and cosmetic items. However, due to the high prices associated with the CBD extract, some products are vulnerable to both economically motivated adulteration and false “natural” labeling.

In the United States, cosmetic items containing CBD ingredients are subject to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Federal Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act, which considers a product to be misbranded if its label provides false or misleading information. This includes counterfeit 100% “natural-sourced” CBD claims.

Third-Party Verification

Skincare company This Works demonstrates third-party verification to ensure their CBD ingredients come from biomass sources using isotopic analysis to verify the ratios of carbon isotopes in the product are representative of modern-day carbon levels.

For more details on how This Works uses Carbon-14 testing to ensure that the CBD ingredient used in their products is biobased, please read the full article published in Nutraceuticals Now – Insight on CBD’s vulnerability to adulteration & mislabeling, and how to authenticate “natural” CBD.

Carbon-14 Analysis Lab Beta Analytic

ISO/IEC 17025:2017-accredited Beta Analytic has provided rapid, high-quality carbon-14 analysis to the nutraceuticals and cosmetics industries for years. The lab is based in Miami, Florida, and has multiple forwarding offices around the world. It also provides client support in several languages.

For inquiries on fees or turnaround time, please contact the lab using this form.


Disclaimer: This video is hosted in a third-party site and may contain advertising.
Excerpt from Beta Analytic’s presentation during the webinar “Stewarding Responsible Growth by Protecting the Integrity of the Curcumin Category”


This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 15th, 2020 and is filed under Beta Analytic Updates, Biobased Products, Natural Product Testing .