BfR: proficiency test for cannabinoids in hemp products — 19 laboratories, 91 % satisfactory results
On 3 September 2026 BfR published the report on a proficiency test organised by the German National Reference Laboratory for Mycotoxins and Plant Toxins. Laboratories determined cannabinoids in hemp flour, hemp oil cake, hemp tea, hemp seed pesto and a standard solution.
- In the 2025 test, 19 laboratories in Germany submitted results — official food control laboratories of the federal states and private contract laboratories; determination of CBD, Δ9-THC and their acid forms was mandatory, while quantification of 15 minor cannabinoids was voluntary.
- The reproducibility standard deviation was 15–28 % for Δ9-THC, 24–73 % for THCA and 13–127 % for the other analytes; on average, 91 % of z-scores fell within the satisfactory range |z| ≤ 2.
- The scope covered 8 acidic and 11 neutral cannabinoids plus the sum of Δ9-THC equivalents (Δ9-THC + 0.877 × THCA), in which Regulation (EU) 2023/915 expresses its maximum levels: 3.0 mg/kg for hemp seeds and products made from them and 7.5 mg/kg for hemp seed oil.
- A separate experiment examined the mutual interference of Δ9-THC and Δ8-THC caused by their close elution; the report notes that gas chromatography needs derivatisation to distinguish acid and neutral forms, whereas modern liquid chromatography does not.
Source: BfR — Determination of cannabinoids in hemp flour, hemp oil cake, hemp tea, and hemp seed pesto