At CanniLabs, one question we occasionally receive is why a CBN isolate can test in the low-to-mid 90% range—such as 93%—while the laboratory report shows little or no detectable amount of any other cannabinoid.

At first glance, this seems like a simple question: if the product is 93% CBN, what makes up the other 7%?

Unfortunately, analytical chemistry isn’t always that straightforward.

There are several possible explanations, including measurement uncertainty, analytical limitations, moisture, and compounds that are not included in the laboratory’s cannabinoid testing panel.

1. Measurement Uncertainty Can Be Significant at Very High Purity Levels

The most common explanation provided by testing laboratories is measurement uncertainty.

As one laboratory explained to us:

“These cases are always difficult to evaluate when 100% falls well within the measurement uncertainty.”

In practical terms, a laboratory result of 93% CBN does not necessarily mean that exactly 7% of the material is something else.

Every analytical method has a degree of uncertainty. At extremely high concentrations, that uncertainty becomes particularly important when interpreting results.

In other words, while a reported result may be 93%, the true concentration may potentially be significantly different depending on the laboratory’s validated method and its stated measurement uncertainty.

This is admittedly not the most satisfying answer. Everyone would prefer a laboratory result that precisely identifies every fraction of a sample. But analytical testing does not always work that way—particularly when evaluating highly purified materials approaching the upper limits of concentration measurement.

2. Finished-Product Testing Can Provide Additional Context

One useful way to evaluate the question is to look beyond the raw-material COA and examine how the material performs when formulated into finished products.

In one of our formulations, we calculated the expected CBN concentration using the 93% assay value reported on the raw material’s COA.

However, when the finished product was subsequently tested, the measured CBN concentration came back approximately 10% higher than expected based on that 93% assumption.

That result suggests that the actual CBN concentration of the raw material may be higher than the originally reported assay value.

While this does not independently prove that the raw material is 100% CBN, it provides additional evidence that the reported 93% figure may not tell the entire story about the material’s actual concentration.

3. Moisture or Humidity May Affect the Result

Another possible explanation is moisture contamination or humidity exposure during sampling and testing.

Highly concentrated materials can potentially absorb or contain small amounts of moisture. Since analytical results are often expressed as a percentage of the total sample weight, water or other non-target material can affect the calculated concentration.

For example, if a sample contains measurable moisture, the laboratory may report a lower percentage of CBN even if the cannabinoid portion of the sample is highly pure.

That said, moisture alone is unlikely to explain every significant difference between a reported result of 93% and a theoretical purity approaching 100%.

It is simply one factor that may contribute to the difference.

4. The Sample May Contain Compounds That Are Not Included in the Testing Panel

Another possibility is that the material contains compounds that the laboratory is simply not testing for.

Cannabis is chemically complex. The cannabis plant contains more than 100 identified cannabinoids, with some scientific discussions and estimates suggesting the number may be considerably higher depending on how cannabinoids and related compounds are classified.

Most routine cannabinoid panels test for only a relatively small selection of compounds, such as:

• CBD
• CBDA
• THC
• THCA
• CBG
• CBGA
• CBC
• CBN
• Delta-8 THC

A report showing “ND” (Not Detected) for the cannabinoids included in a panel does not necessarily mean that absolutely no other chemical compounds are present in the sample.

It means that the laboratory did not detect the specific analytes included in that particular method above the applicable reporting limits.

This distinction is important.

A COA Is Only as Broad as the Method Being Used

When interpreting a Certificate of Analysis, it is important to understand exactly what the laboratory tested.

A standard cannabinoid potency panel is designed to quantify specific target compounds. It is not necessarily a complete chemical inventory of everything contained in the sample.

If the question is:

“How much CBN is present?”

A validated cannabinoid potency method may be appropriate.

But if the question is:

“What exactly makes up every percentage point of this material?”

That may require additional analytical approaches beyond a standard cannabinoid panel, potentially including broader chromatographic or spectroscopic analysis.

Our Approach to CBN Raw Materials

At CanniLabs, we believe that COAs should be interpreted in context rather than viewed as a single absolute number without considering the testing methodology.

When evaluating highly concentrated CBN materials, we look at multiple factors, including:

• The laboratory’s reported potency
• Measurement uncertainty, where available
• The other cannabinoids detected in the sample
• Results from finished-product testing
• Batch-to-batch consistency
• The specific analytical method and compounds included in the testing panel

A CBN result in the low-to-mid 90% range, combined with no significant detection of other tested cannabinoids, does not automatically mean that the remaining percentage represents another cannabinoid or an impurity of equal proportion.

Understanding how the laboratory arrived at the result—and what the method actually measures—is essential.

The Bottom Line

A reported result of 93–95% CBN may have several explanations when no other cannabinoids are detected. Measurement uncertainty may be a significant factor, particularly at very high purity levels. Moisture or other non-target components may contribute to the result, and standard cannabinoid panels may not identify every compound potentially present in a complex cannabis-derived material.

For formulators and manufacturers, the best approach is to evaluate the entire body of analytical evidence, rather than relying exclusively on one number from one test.

At CanniLabs, we continue to evaluate raw materials using both third-party laboratory testing and real-world formulation results to better understand the materials we use in finished products.

A COA should always be interpreted according to the laboratory’s validated method, reporting limits, and stated measurement uncertainty. A reported potency result should not be represented as a guarantee of absolute purity unless the testing method specifically supports that conclusion.

CBN Isolate For Sale at CanniLabs

CBN Distillate for Sale at CanniLabs