Overage

An overage is the deliberate addition of an active ingredient above the labeled amount so that a product still meets its claim at the end of its shelf life.

Actives such as cannabinoids degrade slowly with time, heat, light and oxygen, and a product formulated at exactly the label amount would drift below it before its best-by date. Manufacturers use stability data to estimate the loss and add a margin to cover it. The practice is common and legitimate in pharmaceuticals, supplements and foods, though it is rarely explained to customers.

On a certificate of analysis, an overage shows up as a fresh batch testing somewhat above its label figure, which is expected rather than an error. The size of a reasonable overage depends on the ingredient's stability and the intended shelf life, and a very large excess would suggest poor process control rather than planning. For THC, the same logic does not apply; a product formulated to 0.0% THC does not carry an overage, and its figure should sit below the reporting limit.