Why Cannabis Beverage Test Results Can Vary—And What You Can Do About It

Understanding cannabinoid potency inconsistencies and how to improve accuracy in infused drinks

Cannabis beverages are one of the fastest-growing segments in the hemp and cannabis industries. With new brands, SKUs, and formulations launching every month, it’s an exciting time for innovation—and for consumers.

But testing infused beverages? That’s where things can get complicated.

At New Bloom Labs, we’ve helped hundreds of beverage producers fine-tune their formulations and understand why lab results sometimes show more—or less—cannabinoids than expected. If you’ve ever seen a 10mg product test at 8mg, 13mg, or even 18mg, you’re not alone. Here’s what’s going on—and what you can do to tighten your results.

A Quick Note on Scale

Let’s say your drink is formulated to contain 5 milligrams of cannabinoids, but the lab reports 4 milligrams. That may look like a 20% error on paper—but the actual difference in concentration is tiny.

Imagine trying to count five grains of sugar... and only finding four... in an entire can.

That’s how precise these measurements are. And it’s a good thing—our instruments are sensitive enough to catch even the smallest deviations. But it also means that minor shifts in your process can affect results.

Let’s break down the most common culprits.

1. Storage Conditions & Time

Heat, light, oxygen, and time are not friends to cannabinoid stability. If your beverage has been stored improperly or left sitting too long, cannabinoids can degrade or bind to the liner of the can or bottle—leading to lower test results.

Pro tip: Store finished products in a cool, dark, dry place and test them soon after production when possible.

2. Pulp in the Beverage

If your product contains pulp, you could be in for some wild swings in potency results.

Nanoemulsions tend to stick to pulp, so unless your product is completely homogenized, one unit could test at 50 milligrams—and the next at zero. We’ve seen it happen.

Solution: Use a shear mixer during production to fully disperse emulsions.

3. High-Acidity Formulations

Low-pH beverages—think lemonades or fruit-forward drinks—can destabilize nanoemulsions. When that happens, cannabinoids can clump together or separate over time, making potency results inconsistent.

What to do: Consider adjusting your pH upward to help stabilize the emulsion.

4. Cannabinoid Settling or Separation

Even without pulp, emulsions can settle. If the product isn’t mixed before it’s sampled—or wasn’t fully mixed during production—you can get uneven cannabinoid distribution.

Tip: Mix your product thoroughly before sampling, and make sure mixing protocols are followed before canning or bottling.

5. Lab-to-Lab Variability

If you're comparing results from two different labs, expect some variation. A ±10% difference between labs is within standard analytical margins and usually not a cause for concern.

Each lab uses different instruments, methods, and sample prep approaches—so slight shifts are normal.

6. Sample Preparation Variability

Most potency tests require dilution based on an expected cannabinoid level. If the estimate is off—even slightly—the final result can come back higher or lower.

It doesn’t mean the test is wrong—it means sample prep matters. The more you can tell us about your formulation, the better we can tailor the testing process.

How to Get More Consistent Lab Results

Consistency starts before your product hits our lab. Here are our top tips:

✅ Mix your sample thoroughly before sending it in
✅ Avoid pulp-heavy recipes or use a shear mixer to keep emulsions distributed
✅ Check your pH—low-acid products tend to test more consistently
✅ Store products properly (cool, dark, dry)
✅ Standardize your sampling SOPs and limit who can collect test samples
✅ Let us know about formulation changes—new emulsifiers or distillates can affect outcomes

Final Thoughts

If your beverage test results come in high or low, it’s usually not about the math in your formulation. It’s more often about how the product was stored, mixed, or sampled.

With the right SOPs in place—and some awareness of the variables that affect potency—you can dramatically improve the accuracy and consistency of your results.

If you ever have questions about your COA, reach out to us. At New Bloom Labs, we’re here to help you navigate the details and dial in your process.