Receiving a failed Certificate of Analysis triggers a specific regulatory process that includes documentation, potential remediation, and in most cases, a retest — which also requires licensed sample transport. For the complete testing transport guide, read The Complete Guide to Cannabis Testing Transport in Minnesota.
What Happens Immediately After a Failed Test
The batch is quarantined in Metrc. A failing test result is reported to the OCM through Metrc. The batch associated with that test is flagged and cannot legally be transferred for retail sale until the compliance process is resolved.
You receive the failing COA. The COA identifies what analyte failed and the measured level that exceeded the regulatory action limit — important information that informs your remediation options.
You must notify the OCM according to required protocols. Failure to follow required reporting procedures after a failed test is itself a compliance violation.
Remediation Options in Minnesota
Potency failures — may be addressed through relabeling, blending with other batches to achieve target potency, or reprocessing. Each option has specific rules.
Microbial failures — in some cases can be remediated through approved decontamination methods (such as irradiation or heat treatment for certain product types), followed by retest.
Pesticide failures — options are more limited. Some failures at low levels may have remediation pathways; others require destruction.
Heavy metal failures — typically require investigation of the growing media source. Remediation options are limited and may require destruction of the affected batch.
Residual solvent failures — additional processing to remove residual solvents may be available as a remediation pathway, followed by retest.
Retest Transport: Same Requirements as Original Testing
After remediation is complete, the remediated product must be retested. The retest sample transport follows exactly the same requirements as the original test:
- Licensed cannabis transporter
- Metrc transfer manifest for the remediated sample
- Complete chain-of-custody documentation
- Two-person transport team
- Signed handoffs at pickup and lab intake
Using Failed Tests to Improve Your Operation
A failed test is unpleasant, but it is also information. Common root causes in Minnesota’s cannabis market include:
- Microbial failures linked to humidity management issues in the drying and curing phase
- Potency variances linked to inconsistent sampling within a batch
- Residual solvent failures linked to extraction parameters that need adjustment
- Heavy metal failures linked to growing media quality
Each failure type has preventable root causes. A testing lab that helps you understand those causes is providing more value than one that simply reports numbers.
Going Green Transport provides lab sample transport for both initial testing and remediation retest runs across Minnesota, including operators in Brainerd, Moorhead, and Mankato. We understand the urgency of retest situations and schedule sample runs accordingly. View all service areas on our Minnesota cannabis transport locations page