True Northwest

Quantifies THC, CBD and minor cannabinoids. Required on every compliance panel and on the label of any product sold at retail.

Measures lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury. Cannabis is a hyperaccumulator, so contaminated soil shows up in the finished product.

Screens for total yeast and mould, coliforms, E. coli, salmonella and Aspergillus species. Required before any product reaches a patient.

Detects aflatoxins and ochratoxin A produced by mould. Mandatory in most regulated markets because the toxins survive processing.

Screens for regulated pesticide residues at parts-per-billion levels. A failure here is the most common cause of a batch being destroyed.

Confirms that butane, ethanol, propane and other extraction solvents have been purged below action limits. Applies to concentrates and vapes.

Water activity above roughly 0.65 Aw lets mould grow in the package. Cheap to run and the single best predictor of shelf-life failure.

Identifies and quantifies the aromatic compounds that drive strain character. Usually optional for compliance, but a major marketing input.