Essential lab
services for the
cannabis industry

We understand the importance of timely, accurate, and consistent compliance testing to meet regulatory requirements. However, we don’t stop there. We’re also here as a resource to help you achieve your goals.

BCC Compliance Testing

Our testing meets the regulatory requirements of the California Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC). Cannabis cultivators, manufacturers, and distributors benefit greatly from testing with us.

Determines product potency (cannabinoids).
Ensures consumer safety by reducing the risk of contamination with harmful impurities.
Provides certainty with raw materials and manufacturing by understanding what is going into your final product.

Routine cannabis testing services include cannabinoid potency, and screening/determination of terpenes, mycotoxins, heavy metals, molds, bacteria, pesticides, water activity, moisture and residual solvents.

Our Testing Process

R&D Testing and Monitoring Services

Each of the tests offered within the BCC compliance testing package can be ordered ala carte as an R&D test to check raw ingredients or batches of product prior to final testing. Monitoring services for cultivators include environmental monitoring and viroid testing.

Innovative Research
Projects

The cannabis industry is growing, and so is cannabis research. We support the innovation of cultivators, manufacturers, and researchers with research projects that can be customized for your needs.

Testing Prices and
Packages

We offer a variety of testing packages designed to maximize impact while minimizing your cost. We understand that testing is a significant cost to your business and we offer a variety of testing packages at competitive prices.

I wanted to take a moment and thank The Niva Labs for their amazing work in testing our samples from the vape outgassing studies. The Niva Labs went above and beyond for us and tested our samples with a few different high precision instruments like GC/MS and LC/MS/MS to uncover novel phenomena related to our cannabis vapes, distillates, as well as the flowers themselves. Their lead scientist Nobu worked diligently with me to explain the science behind the results and the processes that might be happening within the plant that would explain the results. I would also like to thank Josh Snyder and the whole Niva Labs team for an amazing collaboration with Tikun Olam.

Vardan Ter-Antonyan
VP of Product Development for Tikun Olam

California Cannabis
Testing Services

Cannabinoids

Understanding the potency and cannabinoid profile of your product is key to delivering accurate dosing to consumers and patients. Cannabinoids may be beneficial for the treatment of pain, epilepsy, anxiety, inflammation, nausea and other health conditions. More than 100 different cannabinoids have been discovered to date, with new ones still being identified through ongoing research. We utilize HPLC instrumentation to determine the levels of a variety of cannabinoids.

Pesticides

Pesticides make their way into cannabis through direct application to the plant, or during nutrient and water uptake when the chemicals are in the soil. Pesticides can be harmful if present at high enough levels, and can be converted to other toxic byproducts upon combustion. Analysis of the 66 pesticides required by the California BCC is performed in our lab using LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS.

Mycotoxins

Cannabis products may be susceptible to contamination by mycotoxins during cultivation, storage, or processing. As natural byproducts of several mold species, aflatoxins and ochratoxins present serious health risks to humans and animals – including liver toxicity, immune suppression, and cancer. Our lab tests for four aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1, and G2) and ochratoxin A using LC-MS/MS.

Microbials

Microbes are present everywhere in the environment, and most do not present any concern for human health. Our lab performs specific DNA-based testing for Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Aspergillus fumigatus, flavus, niger and terreus as required by the California BCC. These are species of bacteria and fungus which could be harmful if ingested.

Viroid Testing

Hop Latent Viroid has recently been found to be quite prevalent, but it’s often undiagnosed and is commonly mistaken for nutritional deficiencies or pest damage. Early detection and elimination of infected plants can prevent it from spreading to unaffected plants. The Niva Labs can test for Hop Latent Viroid so you can keep healthy plants from becoming infected, which can be devastating to your entire operation. The most severe symptom is the dudding of clones. Infected plants may show yellow spotting on mature leaves, stunted growth, low bud yields, with low cannabinoid and terpene content.

Environmental Monitoring

When molds, fungus and pathogenic microbes enter your cultivation site the result is unhealthy products and failed compliance testing. To prevent or eliminate this, we can come to your current or future cultivation or manufacturing site, assess potential breeding grounds, and take samples back to our lab to test for over 40 types of microbes. Once we have the results, we will offer suggestions to eliminate the source and prevent recurrence based on our findings and the layout of your facility.

Terpenes

Terpenes are the compounds in cannabis that are responsible for the aromas that give different strains their unique characteristics. Research has shown many potential medicinal benefits of terpenes including anti-inflammatory, sedative, and antibiotic effects. Terpene analysis is done on a GC-MS with headspace capabilities.

Heavy Metals

Heavy metals are a group of elements with high density and metallic properties. There are four heavy metals of particular concern to human health because they are toxic at low levels and can accumulate in the body with repeated exposure: lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury. Our lab tests for their presence in all types of cannabis products using ICP-MS.

Residual Solvents

Residual solvents are trace level chemical residues that are used or produced during manufacturing of products. They can also be byproducts formed during packaging and storage of products. We test for 20 different residual solvents using GC-MS with headspace capabilities.

Foreign Material

The Niva Labs analyzes all California compliance testing samples for filth and foreign material. “Filth and foreign material” includes but is not limited to hair, insects, feces, packaging contaminants, and manufacturing waste and by-products.

Moisture Content

Moisture content defines the amount of water in your cannabis flower.

Water Activity

Water activity explains how the water in your food will react with microorganisms. The higher the water activity, the faster microorganisms like bacteria, yeast, and mold will be able to grow – resulting in shorter shelf life of food products.

What is an R&D Test?

Research and Development Testing (R&D) can be used to assist with product development or to gather information regarding your production or processing procedures. Any of the tests we offer for BCC Compliance testing can be ordered as a Research and Development (R&D) test, in which case the results are not reported to regulatory bodies. R&D tests are for informational purposes only.

Why would I want an R&D Test?

To save time and money, and to develop better products. R&D tests can identify “dirty” raw materials and help you avoid adding something that would cause a compliance testing failure. They can also help you dial in production methods and sourcing of ingredients for new products and manufacturing processes.

Environmental Monitoring

Swab Testing by The Niva Labs personnel at your cultivation or manufacturing site for a panel of over 40 bacteria and fungi.

Environmental monitoring for over 40 types of microbes to track the source of contamination to help you eliminate it.

Hop Latent Viroid testing for plants suffering from dudding, which can be devastating to your harvest.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of cannabis products do you test?

We test flower, concentrates, isolate, vapes, as well as a variety of infused products such as beverage, edibles, topicals, and tinctures. If you need a product tested that isn’t in this list, please contact us and we’ll work to develop a unique test for your sample type.

Do I have to go through METRC to submit R&D test samples?

No, you do not have to use METRC for R&D testing at this time.

What is your coverage area?

We cover the following California counties: L.A., Orange, San Bernadino, Riverside, Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Diego.

Essential lab
services for the
cannabis industry

BCC Compliance Testing

Our Testing Process

R&D Testing and Monitoring Services

Innovative Research
Projects

Testing Prices and
Packages

Vardan Ter-Antonyan
VP of Product Development for Tikun Olam

California Cannabis
Testing Services

What is an R&D Test?

Why would I want an R&D Test?

Environmental Monitoring

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of cannabis products do you test?

Do I have to go through METRC to submit R&D test samples?

What is your coverage area?

Cannabis and hemp science to help your business grow.

Menu

Get in touch with us

Essential lab services for the cannabis industry

BCC Compliance Testing

Our Testing Process

R&D Testing and Monitoring Services

Innovative ResearchProjects

Testing Prices andPackages

Vardan Ter-Antonyan VP of Product Development for Tikun Olam

California Cannabis Testing Services

What is an R&D Test?

Why would I want an R&D Test?

Environmental Monitoring​

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of cannabis products do you test?

Do I have to go through METRC to submit R&D test samples?

What is your coverage area?

Cannabis and hemp science to help your business grow.

Menu

Get in touch with us

Subscribe to The Niva Labs Blog

Essential lab
services for the
cannabis industry

Innovative Research
Projects

Testing Prices and
Packages

Vardan Ter-Antonyan
VP of Product Development for Tikun Olam

California Cannabis
Testing Services

Environmental Monitoring