Batch numbers and traceability

Traceability is the difference between a certificate that describes your vial and a certificate that describes a product in general.

What a batch is

A batch is a quantity of a compound produced in one manufacturing run and tested together. Every vial filled from that batch shares the same test results, and every vial from a different batch does not. Batch-level identity is therefore the unit of quality assurance: the Certificate of Analysis is issued per batch, and it is only meaningful for vials that carry that batch's number.

Why the number belongs on the vial

A batch number printed on the outer packaging, a website or an invoice can become separated from the vial it refers to. Printed on the vial label itself, it stays with the material through storage, aliquoting and use, so that a result obtained months later can still be traced back to the exact batch and its certificate.

QR-linked certificates

Linking each vial to its certificate by a QR code removes the lookup step: scanning the label opens the COA for that batch directly. It is a small convenience with a large effect on whether traceability is actually used in practice rather than merely available.

What to do if a batch number is missing

Treat an unlabelled vial as untraceable. Without a batch number there is no way to connect the material to a test result, and any COA offered for it is a statement about some batch rather than this one. Ask the supplier, and if the answer is unsatisfactory, do not use the material for work that matters.

For laboratory research use only — not for human or veterinary use. This article is general laboratory reference information and is not advice on the use of any product.