Understanding Our Quality Documents: Specification Sheet, COA & Third-Party Test Report

At Hongji Agriculture, we provide three distinct quality documents to support our customers’ procurement and quality assurance needs. Each serves a different purpose, covers different testing parameters, and follows specific Chinese national standards. This guide explains what each document is, what it includes, and when you need it.

Quick Comparison Table

1. Specification Sheet

What it is: A comprehensive technical document that defines the product’s design parameters, quality standards, and manufacturing requirements. It is a reference standard — it tells you what the product should be.

What it includes:

What it does NOT include:

• ❌ Actual test results for any specific batch
• ❌ Third-party verification
• ❌ Signatures or batch traceability numbers

Spec Sheet = The promise. It says “this is how we design and control our product.”

2. Certificate of Analysis — COA

What it is: A batch-specific document issued by our QC laboratory for every production batch. It records the actual test results for that specific batch and verifies compliance with the Specification Sheet limits.

What it includes:

What it does NOT include:

• ❌ Heavy metals (Pb, As, Cd, Hg, Cr) — tested annually, not per batch
• ❌ Salmonella — tested annually (3rd party semi-annual)
• ❌ S. aureus — tested quarterly
• ❌ Yeast & Mold — tested quarterly
• ❌ Pesticide residues — tested annually
• ❌ Sulfur dioxide residues — tested annually
• ❌ Third-party lab accreditation

COA = The proof for each batch. It says “this specific batch meets the spec.”

3. Third-Party Test Report

What it is: An independent verification report issued by a CNAS/CMA-accredited third-party laboratory (such as SGS, Intertek, or a recognized Chinese food safety testing institute). Performed twice per year (semi-annual) to provide unbiased, legally-recognized compliance evidence.

What it includes (more comprehensive than COA):

What it does NOT include:

• ❌ Batch-specific identification (it covers a production period, not a single batch)
• ❌ Hourly/shift-level production monitoring data
• ❌ In-line metal detection verification

Third-Party Report = The independent audit. It says “an accredited lab confirms our product meets international food safety standards.”

How They Work Together

Think of it as a three-layer quality assurance system:

Layer 1: Specification Sheet (Spec)
         ↓ Defines the target
Layer 2: COA per batch
         ↓ Verifies each batch hits the target
Layer 3: Third-Party Report (semi-annual)
         ↓ Independently confirms the system works

Chinese National Standards Reference

All three documents are built on the following Chinese national and industry standards:

Summary

If you need any of these documents for your order, please contact our sales team with your batch number or inquiry details. We provide all three as standard support for our global customers.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the difference between a Specification Sheet and a COA?

The Specification Sheet defines the target — it tells you what the product should be (moisture ≤ 9.0%, ash ≤ 4.0%, etc.). The COA tells you what a specific batch actually is — the real test results for that batch. Think of the Spec Sheet as the blueprint and the COA as the inspection report for a specific batch.

2. Do you provide a COA with every shipment?

Yes. Every single production batch from Hongji Agriculture is issued with a batch-specific, signed Certificate of Analysis before release. You will receive the COA for your batch with your shipment documentation.

3. How often do you conduct third-party testing?

We conduct comprehensive third-party testing twice per year (semi-annual) through a CNAS/CMA-accredited independent laboratory. This covers all items in the COA plus heavy metals (Pb, As, Cd, Hg, Cr), Salmonella, S. aureus, Yeast & Mold, pesticide residues (GB 2763-2021), and sulfur dioxide residues.

4. What heavy metals do you test for?

Our annual and third-party testing covers: Lead (Pb, ≤0.5 mg/kg), Total Arsenic (As, ≤0.5 mg/kg), Cadmium (Cd, ≤0.1 mg/kg), Mercury (Hg, ≤0.02 mg/kg), and Chromium (Cr, ≤1.0 mg/kg). Soil heavy metal testing is conducted at our farming bases to ensure raw material safety at the source.

5. Do you test for pesticide residues?

Yes. Pesticide residue testing is conducted annually per GB 2763-2021 (National Food Safety Standard — Maximum Residue Limits for Pesticides in Food). This is also covered in our semi-annual third-party testing.

6. What microbiological tests are performed?

Our full microbiological testing panel includes: Total Plate Count (GB 4789.2), Coliforms (GB 4789.3), Salmonella (GB 4789.4), Staphylococcus aureus (GB 4789.10), and Yeast & Mold (GB 4789.15). TPC and Coliforms are tested per batch; Salmonella annually plus third-party semi-annually; S. aureus and Yeast & Mold quarterly.

7. Can I request additional testing beyond the standard items?

Yes. Depending on your destination country requirements, we can arrange additional testing including E. coli O157, specific pesticide panels, Sudan Red screening, or customer-specific heavy metal limits. Please discuss your requirements with our sales team.

8. Are your products allergen-free?

Yes. Our potato flakes are produced in a facility that does not use any of the 8 major food allergens as defined by GB 23779-2009 and GB 7718-2011. This includes cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, fish, eggs, peanuts, soybeans, milk/dairy, and tree nuts. A full allergen declaration is included in our Specification Sheet.

9. What Chinese national standards apply to your potato flakes?

Our primary product standard is SB/T 10752-2012 (Potato Flakes). All testing methods follow applicable GB (Guobiao/National) standards. A full list of 18 applicable standards is provided in the reference table above.

10. Can I get a copy of the third-party test report?

Yes. Our semi-annual third-party test reports are available to customers upon request. Contact our sales team with your company information, and we will provide the latest report.

11. Is the downloadable sample COA an official batch certificate?

No. The sample COA available for download is a representative example for reference only. Every production batch has its own unique, signed batch-specific COA. Please contact us with your batch number or order reference to receive the official COA for your shipment.

12. What is the difference between your batch COA and the third-party report?

Your batch COA is issued by our in-house QC lab and covers the core sensory, physicochemical, and microbiological parameters specific to your batch. The third-party report is issued by an independent accredited lab and covers a broader scope (including heavy metals, pesticide residues, and expanded microbiology) but on a semi-annual basis rather than per batch. They are complementary — the COA gives you batch-by-batch confidence, while the third-party report provides independent system-level verification.

13. Do your tests comply with international food safety standards?

Yes. Our quality management system is ISO 22000 and HACCP certified. Our testing methods follow Chinese GB standards, which are aligned with international Codex Alimentarius standards. Our third-party reports are issued by CNAS/CMA-accredited laboratories, and the results are accepted by customs and import authorities in the EU, Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and the Americas.

14. How long do you retain batch samples?

Retention samples for each production batch are stored in our QC laboratory for 24 months from the production date, matching the product’s shelf life. Samples can be made available for customer reference if requested in advance.

15. Can I visit your factory and QC laboratory?

Yes. We welcome qualified customers to visit our manufacturing facility and QC laboratory in Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province. Please contact our sales team to arrange a visit. We can also arrange virtual factory tours via video call if an in-person visit is not immediately feasible.