A new investigation by Forbes Health highlights a sensitive issue for the CBD industry: products sold as wellness-related consumer goods are not always tested thoroughly before reaching customers.
Since 2024, Forbes Health has tested 115 CBD products purchased from retailers, including oils, gummies and topical products. The tests were conducted by Nova Analytic Labs in Portland, Maine, and covered heavy metals, yeast, mold and other quality and safety parameters. In some products, Forbes found contaminants such as mold, pesticides or lead.
Most Products Passed the Tests
The investigation should not be read as evidence that CBD products are generally contaminated. Forbes Health reported that only a small number of the 115 tested samples failed specific quality or safety tests. In the latest testing round, most products had no detected issues with content, contaminants or labeling.
The key finding is not only that some products failed. It is that product quality can vary significantly in a market where consumers are often expected to trust company claims, packaging language or lab certificates that may not show the full picture.
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Contaminated Pipettes Can Be a Hidden Risk
One important detail raised by the wider discussion around lead contamination is that lead does not always have to come from the CBD extract itself. In some cases, the source may be the packaging.
A previous FDA-published recall from 2020 showed how InHe Manufacturing and MHR Brands recalled several hemp oil tinctures after elevated lead levels were detected. The company stated that the issue may have been linked to graduated droppers supplied by a third-party vendor.
ACS Laboratory has also described how ink-based markings on pipettes can contain lead and potentially leach into tinctures over time. According to the lab, certain pipettes from China were suspected in one case, leading the affected company to move away from those suppliers and stop using ink-marked droppers.
This makes the issue bigger than cultivation, extraction and cannabinoid content. Bottles, pipettes, markings and other packaging components may also need to be tested when products are sold as oils or tinctures.
A COA Is Not Always Enough
Many CBD products are marketed with a COA, or certificate of analysis. But a certificate can be limited. It may show CBD and THC levels without also showing tests for mold, heavy metals, pesticides, microbiology, residual solvents or packaging-related risks.
The Forbes investigation shows why broader third-party testing matters. A serious product should not only prove how much CBD it contains. It should also show that it has been tested for relevant contaminants and that the analysis is current.
Weak Oversight Leaves Responsibility With Consumers
In the United States, hemp-derived CBD products containing no more than 0.3% THC are federally permitted under the 2018 Farm Bill. At the same time, Forbes notes that the FDA does not monitor or approve CBD products for quality and safety in the same way it does with medicines.
That creates a gap between availability and control. Products may be widely sold, but that does not automatically mean they are approved, quality-assured or suitable for medical claims.
The Conclusion: Transparency Must Cover the Whole Product
The Forbes investigation strengthens the argument for more transparency in the CBD industry. The issue is not to present CBD itself as unsafe, but to separate well-controlled products from products where content, purity and labeling cannot be properly verified.
For consumers, the lesson is clear: choose products with recent testing performed by an independent laboratory, and make sure the analysis covers more than cannabinoid levels. For the industry, the message is just as clear: quality must be proven across the entire chain, from raw material and extract to bottle, pipette and finished product.
Source
Mold, Pesticides And Lead In Popular CBD Products: A Forbes Health Investigation
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