Alkemist Labs and Nutrasource have announced they are preparing to launch a comprehensive third-party verification programme designed to support accurate, verifiable label claims regarding the content of THC in ingredients and finished products.

Alkemist is a contract testing lab specialising in botanical identity and potency testing for the dietary supplement industry. In association with the Canadian health product CRO, it will aim to launch the International Cannabinoid Analysis Program (ICAP).

The certification programme is for manufacturers and brands, designed to provide consumers with freely available third-party verified testing results in order to increase confidence and improve decision making in the cannabis products market.

“Clearly accurate testing in this product category is a concern, as evidenced by several comments at the recent FDA meeting on CBD regulation,” said Elan Sudberg, Alkemist Labs CEO. “The expertise of our two companies working together brings a high level of credibility to this programme.”

ICAP tests cannabis, hemp and their extracts or derivative products with appropriate methods to ensure they contain less than 0.2% delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol.

The limit used by the partnership is in alignment with the European regulations, even though Alkemist is based in the US and Nutrasource in Canada, as these are the most stringent global standards.

William Rowe, President and CEO of Nutrasource said: “We have adopted the EU cut off of 0.2% THC by concentration which then also covers the US market’s 0.3% limit. The programme will greatly assist consumers with their choices relating to THC content and related exposure.”

The programme will launch widely in September, but samples are now being accepted for the beta-testing group. Successful beta participants will be the first companies to appear on Nutrasource’s certification website, with their testing results readily available for transparency-seeking consumers.