A new independent analysis of hemp-derived THC beverages found that most products tested did not contain the amount of THC listed on their labels, raising new questions about quality control as the category continues its rapid expansion.
The Future Nutra Foundation is a nonprofit that purchases products off retail shelves, sends them to independent laboratories for testing, and publishes the results publicly to improve transparency around label claims. It just released its first report on delta-9 THC beverages, finding that the labels on many products do not reliably match what is in the can.
The foundation bought 21 hemp-derived delta-9 THC beverages through retail and online channels, then sent matched samples to three independent accredited laboratories. Only 4 products (19 percent of the sample) came back within the group’s defined accuracy window of 90 to 110 percent of the label claim. 12 products, or 57 percent, contained less than 80 percent of the THC stated on the label. For a product category that requires predictable effects and repeatable dosing, that is not a small miss.
The label inaccuracies in the report were significant. One beverage, Cali Sober’s Paloma Spritz, was labeled at 5 mg of delta-9 THC but tested at only 0.19 mg, or 3.8 percent of the stated amount. At the other end, Daizy’s Strawberry Lemonade came in slightly above label, at about 11.9 mg versus a 10 mg claim. The report says four beverages — Howdy, CANN, Brez and Birdie — fell within the foundation’s acceptable range. Most of the others did not.
The main danger of inaccurate labeling is that consumers can’t gauge their preferred dosing range or anticipate the effect when the milligrams keep changing from drink to drink. By contrast, alcoholic beverages are produced under a long-established federal regulatory system overseen by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), which requires formula approvals for many products, label review, manufacturing records, and compliance inspections. While federal lawmakers have not determined how hemp beverages will ultimately be regulated, many industry stakeholders point to the TTB framework as a possible model because it already governs beverage manufacturing and labeling.
The report does not speculate on why the products failed to meet their label claims. However, beverage formulation experts generally point to issues such as unstable emulsions, inadequate mixing during production, inaccurate dosing, or packaging compatibility as factors that can affect cannabinoid potency over time. The industry’s rapid growth has attracted breweries, co-packers, and beverage manufacturers eager to enter the market, but cannabinoids introduce formulation challenges that many have not encountered before.
The Future Nutra Foundation formally launched as a nonprofit in April 2026. The organization says it independently purchases retail products, tests them through accredited laboratories, and publishes the findings publicly. Although brands use third-party testing labs to verify the products’ contents, many labs have been accused of falsifying reports.
In a press release, Joey Savage, the foundation’s president, pointed to the need for transparency and a better public understanding of product quality. The organization’s science team, including Science Director Paul Eftang, has emphasized the danger of labels that don’t match the content; consumers should be able to trust the THC content listed on the label. The hemp beverage project is an extension of the foundation’s earlier work testing other categories, including supplements and electrolyte products.
For the hemp beverage industry, the report highlights the importance of consistent manufacturing and independent testing. The foundation is on a mission to back a brand’s claims with hard evidence by publishing batch-level results from retail samples and by pushing for a standard for label accuracy and stability testing. The findings could increase pressure on manufacturers to strengthen quality control and may give regulators additional evidence as they debate national standards for hemp-derived cannabinoid products.
The hemp beverage sector may still be working through the basic quality-control systems that mature beverage markets operate under, but this report should serve as a warning that warrants stakeholders’ attention and action.
Whether the discrepancies stem from manufacturing practices, formulation challenges, or broader quality-control issues, the report suggests the rapidly growing hemp beverage industry still has work to do before consumers can assume every can contains exactly what the label promises.
