🔬 Buyer Resource · Supporting
🔍 Reading between the lines
⚠️ Warning signs
💬 CEO Perspective
7
Parameters on every CoA
What each one means
3.5โ5.0%
Normal moisture range
Finished export kernel
โค10ppb
EU aflatoxin limit
Total aflatoxin
AFI
Grading standard used
Global trade benchmark
Every legitimate cashew shipment arrives with a Certificate of Analysis. Most buyers file it. Fewer read it closely. And a meaningful number are not entirely sure what several of the numbers on it actually mean in practice.
That is a problem, because the CoA is the single most useful document a buyer receives — it is the objective record of what was actually measured on the specific batch in the container, and it is the basis for any quality discussion if something is disputed later.
This guide explains every parameter on a standard cashew CoA, what a normal value looks like, and what a value outside that range actually signals.
📊 Parameter by parameterWhat Every Number On A Cashew CoA Means
| Parameter | Normal range | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Moisture | 3.5–5.0% | The single most important shelf-life indicator. Above 5% raises mould risk in transit; below 3% suggests over-drying and higher breakage |
| Broken / defective % | Per AFI grade spec | Consistently at the top of the allowed range indicates marginal quality control, even if technically within specification |
| Foreign matter | Nil / not detected | Anything other than "nil" warrants a direct conversation with the supplier before acceptance |
| Aflatoxin (total) | ≤10ppb for EU | Check whether testing was in-house screening or accredited external laboratory — EU-bound product should have external confirmation |
| Aflatoxin B1 | ≤2ppb for EU | Tested separately from total aflatoxin. Both limits must be met for EU market access |
| Colour grade | W (white) or SW (scorched) | W is standard for premium retail. SW is acceptable for many ingredient applications at lower cost |
| Microbiological | Within stated limits | Total plate count, yeast and mould, and pathogen screening (Salmonella, Listeria) — absence should be explicitly stated |
Four Things Experienced Buyers Check Beyond The Numbers
Who Performed The Testing
In-house laboratory or accredited external lab? Both are legitimate, but EU-bound aflatoxin results should carry external accredited confirmation. The CoA should state which
Batch And Date Traceability
The CoA should reference a specific production batch code and date, traceable back to a specific production run. A CoA without batch identification cannot be traced if a problem emerges
Consistency Across Shipments
One CoA tells you about one batch. Six CoAs across six months tell you whether the supplier's process is genuinely controlled. Always request historical CoAs when evaluating a new supplier
Standard Referenced
Most international cashew trade references AFI (Association of Food Industries) standards. A CoA that does not reference a recognised standard is difficult to enforce in a dispute
The most useful habit a buyer can build: request CoAs from the last three to six production runs before placing a first order, not just after. Consistency across batches is far more informative than a single perfect result.
What Should Prompt A Conversation
Moisture varying widely between batches: A supplier whose moisture readings swing between 3.2% and 5.4% across shipments does not have tight drying control — regardless of whether individual results are technically in spec
Identical values across multiple CoAs: Real measurement produces small natural variation. Identical figures across several batches suggests the values are being transcribed rather than measured
Missing aflatoxin results for EU shipments: Not optional. EU-bound product must have documented aflatoxin testing within regulatory limits
No batch code or issue date: A CoA that cannot be tied to a specific production run and date has limited value if a dispute arises later
Supplier reluctance to share historical CoAs: A supplier with controlled processes has nothing to hide in past results. Reluctance is itself informative
💬 CEO Perspective
The CoA is the document that turns a quality claim into a quality fact. We issue one for every batch, referencing the actual measurements from our own laboratory on that specific production run โ and we are equally happy to share the previous six. A supplier who will only show you the current one is telling you something.
— ๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ง๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐
Want to see SVC's CoA format?
Request sample CoAs from recent production runs for the grade you are considering โ available within 48 hours.
About SVC Group
BRC · SMETA · Halal · Kosher · HACCP · FSPCA · 700+ MT/month · 72+ countries · Dong Nai Province, Vietnam
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