Cannabis
Testing
Services
Quality and Safety Assurance for Your Cannabis Products
Our dedicated cannabis testing department, based in Quebec City, was accredited by Health Canada in February 2020 (Licence for Analytical Testing). We offer complete chemical and microbiological quality control services to ensure that your cannabis products are compliant with the Cannabis Act product release regulations. Our specialized analyst team uses state-of-the-art equipment to provide the results you need to quickly make your products available on the market.
in order for the cannabis product to be compliant with Cannabis Act product release regulations. Our specialized analyst team uses state-of-the-art equipment to provide results needed to quickly make your products available on the market.
The importance of analyzing Cannabis Products
Consumer Safety
Cannabis takes a long journey, from seed to plant to processing before finally ending up on the shelf as a packaged retail product. Along the way, there are many potential sources of contamination.
Heavy metals found in soil can be absorbed through the roots and become concentrated in the plant. The natural moisture in cannabis can foster the growth of microbes. Pesticides and processing chemicals can be left behind at unsafe levels.
Any potential contaminant poses a risk to the health of consumers. Cannabis testing is the only way to ensure that your products are free of contamination and safe for consumption.
Quality Control
In order to offer the highest quality and most consistent products possible, your product needs to be tested.
Consumers are looking for products they can dose easily and that give predictable effects. With cannabis testing, we can put a number on characteristics like potency and contaminants so that customers know exactly what they are getting.
Meeting Health Canada Requirements
Ensuring the quality and safety of cannabis products for customers is obviously a top priority. However, aside from the desire to provide high quality flower, edibles, and other cannabis products, growers, manufacturers, and dispensaries now also face a legal obligation.
Health Canada issued regulations for cannabis testing. Under these regulations, cannabis products purchased from any licensed dispensary must undergo testing by an accredited lab.
Cannabis Testing Services at Syneos Health
Syneos Health has developed a state-of-the-art laboratory for rapid and accurate cannabis testing. Our methods are validated for dried cannabis and oil extracts. With slight modifications, these methods can be applied to any edibles. With over 27 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, Syneos Health has the expertise to satisfy the needs of Cannabis producers and processors.
Listing of Cannabis Tests:
- CANNABINOID POTENCY
- PESTICIDES
- MYCOTOXINS
- HEAVY METALS
- MICROBIOLOGY
- MOISTURE CONTENT
- RESIDUAL SOLVENTS (OILS)
- TERPENE PROFILING
Cannabinoid Potency
Health Canada requires that all licenced cannabis producers must test each cannabis lot for cannabinoid potency and report the total THC and total CBD results on the package.
The following cannabinoids must be quantitatively measured:
- Δ9-THC – Tetrahydrocannabinol
- THCA – Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid
- CBD – Cannabidiol
- CBDA – Cannabidiolic acid
Method : High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with U-V detection
Sample type : flower or oil
Required sample amount : 2 g or 2 mL
In addition to regulatory testing, the following cannabinoids can be analyzed to complete the cannabinoid profiling:
- Cannabigerol (CBG)
- Cannabigerolic acid (CBGA)
- Cannabichromene (CBC)
- CBN – Cannabinol Cannabidivarin (CBDV)
- Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV)
PESTICIDES
Health Canada ensures that Cannabis released to the public is free of harmful pesticides. We test for all of the 96 pesticides listed by Health Canada.
Methods :
- LC/MS/MS
- GC/MS
Sample type : flower or oil
Required sample amount : 2 g or 2 mL
Mycotoxins
Two classes of mycotoxin, Aflatoxins and Ochratoxins, are produced by molds like Aspergillus. Both classes have carcinogenic and mutagenic properties that can alter our DNA and cause the formation of cancer. Mycotoxin testing will ensure that your products are safe for inhalation and consumption. Checking for their presence is required by Health Canada.
Mycotoxins tested:
- Aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2
- Ochratoxin A (products intended for export)
Although there are more than 20 known aflatoxins, the B1, B2, G1 and G2 types have been identified as the most dangerous for human health. Ochratoxin A is also potentially toxic, as prolonged exposure has been linked to kidney damage and some types of cancer.
Methods:
- LC-MS-MS
Sample type: flower or oil
Required sample amount: 2 g or 2 mL
Heavy Metals
Heavy metals can be present in cannabis as a result of the use of low-grade pesticides, fertilizers, contaminated water sources, and growing in areas of former industrial sites. Mercury, Cadmium, Lead, and Arsenic are all toxic to human health even in small concentrations. Analysis of these specific heavy metals is required by Health Canada:
- As (Arsenic)
- Cd (Cadmium)
- Hg (Mercury)
- Pb (Lead)
Methods:
- LC-MS-MS
Sample type: flower or oil
Required sample amount: 2 g or 2 mL
MICROBIOLOGY
Microorganisms such as bacteria, yeasts and molds are microscopic and are not typically visible to the naked eye. Cannabis plants and their products are not sterile and therefore microbial contamination is expected. However, certain limits must be observed to prevent harmful effects on human health. Microbiology tests are required by Health Canada for any cannabis product, whether fresh, dried or oil based.
The microbial tests offered are:
- Total yeast and mold count
- Total aerobic count
- E. coli
- Salmonella Spp.
- S. aureus
- P. aeruginosa
Method:
PCR (polymerase chain reaction)
Sample type: flower or oil
Required sample amount: 5 g
Microbial tests offered are:
- Total yeast and mold count
- Total aerobic count
- E. coli
- Salmonella Spp.
- S. aureus
- P. aeruginosa
Moisture Content
The moisture content is the percentage, by weight, of water in a cannabis product. In cannabis that is newly harvested, the moisture content may exceed 70% of the overall weight. Cannabis flowers that have been dried may “crunch” a little following the drying and curing process. In this case, the moisture content levels should be lowered to a safe 15% or lower, at which point the cannabis is ready to be used for medicinal purposes.
Method:
- Moisture System Analyzer (Shimadzu)
Sample type: flower
Required sample amount: 1 g
Residual Solvents (OilS)
Cannabis oils are extracted using organic volatile chemicals. Some residual solvents are known to have carcinogenic and toxic properties. In order to ensure the safety of cannabis products and to comply with Health Canada regulations, the amount of residual solvents in cannabis oils, extracts or concentrates must be measured and found to be below a certain limit.
We test for residual solvents required by Health Canada, including:
- Acetone
- Benzene
- Chloroform
- Ethanol
- Hexane
- Ethyl Ether
- Heptane
- Isopropyl alcohol
- Pentane
- Toluene
Method:
- GC-MS
Sample type: oil or concentrate
Required sample amount: 2 mL
Terpene Profiling
Terpenes are the essential oils produced in most plants—including cannabis. Cannabis is unique in that each strain has a completely different profile of terpenes. Terpenes are volatile at room temperature, which is why you can smell them. Terpene testing is not a legal requirement by Health Canada.
Method:
- GC-MS
Sample type: flower or oil
Required sample amount: 2 mL
However, terpene analysis is crucial for differentiating between strains of cannabis, as terpenes have a major influence on the medical and psychological effects of the plant. In fact, the relationship between cannabinoids and terpenes differentiates the strain of cannabis. Our analytical method can be used for the quantitation of the most common terpenes:
| Alpha-bisabolol | Bêta-myrcene |
| Camphène | Nerolidol |
| Delta-3-carene | Ocimene |
| Bêta-caryophyllene | Para-cymene |
| d-Limonene | Alpha-pinene |
| Gerianiol | Bêta-pinene |
| Guaiol | Alpha-terpinene |
| Alpha-humulene | Gamma-terpinene |
| Isopulegol | Terpinolene |
| Linalool |
Pesticide Screening Required by Health Canada (96)
