Can I edit a Certificate of Analysis?

Hello everyone,

I have a question I have never come across.

I have a customer who would like to edit the Certificate of Analysis of a Decaffeinated Tea to show the actual amount in milligrams of caffeine present in the tea.

Is this allowed? Or because this is an official document from a primary source, must it remain completely unchanged?

Thanks,

Wayne

How can the customer be sure?  

The answer is do not touch a CoA, ever.  A CoA is actually a legally binding document, so you would be in essence committing a fraud, never mind the ethics involved

If your customer wants that declaration then a separate CoA needs to be produced

I would advise against it.

If it's done well no one will probably be the wiser but it's a slippery slope. Once you get into that mode of amending documents to appease customers it becomes easier than actually doing the work for future requests. You might also become 'the guy' around the office who can get you the "documentation" you need trapping yourself in that role of forfeitures where you'll eventually get caught in a lie or have to disappoint people by telling them "no I won't/can't do that".

But that the answer you knew you would get. Am I right?

It's not worth the worry but if that's the route you take, I would get the ball rolling on getting a legit version free of adulteration, reissue the COA to the customer and try to avoid making it a habit.

All theoretical btw and from the experience of SWIM.

Yes, this is what I had assumed the answer would be, but I want to have back up in my decision from others minds/resources. I will tell my customer that it is not allowed due to legal reasons and offer to have the testing done from a caffeine testing facility.

I appreciate the TRULY quick feedback!

Thanks,

Wayne

What you have in your COA must be traceable with your analytical results, Such instances, if ever approved, will  lose the laboratory's credibility. But to further understand your question, you have asked  

"who would like to edit the Certificate of Analysis of a Decaffeinated Tea to show the actual amount in milligrams of caffeine present in the tea." 

Does the question imply that you have this result and the customer only want it presented in different units? Or the analytical result you obtained have conversion that is already approved scientifically (e.g. %N to %Protein)? or you don't really have this result available?