CBD and its acidic precursor, CBDA, can be measured separately. Their ratio describes part of a product’s chemistry, but several factors can produce a high or low value. A study of 40 commercial hemp products illustrates the range.
Using a validated liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry method, researchers found that many products contained more CBDA than CBD. One oil had a CBD-to-CBDA ratio above 1,000, a markedly different profile. The authors discussed possible contributions from plant material, processing, or added cannabinoids.
The ratio alone cannot distinguish those possibilities. Heating can change the relationship between acidic and neutral cannabinoids, and starting material also varies. A source-attribution review would need lot records, processing information and a fuller chemical profile. The assay establishes what was measured in the tested sample.