Lot numbers and traceability in research peptide supply

Definitions

• Batch (lot): a specific quantity of material produced in a process or series of processes so that it is expected to be homogeneous. This follows the ICH Q7 good manufacturing practice guideline for active pharmaceutical ingredients.
• Lot number (batch number): a unique combination of numbers, letters or symbols that identifies a batch and from which its production and distribution history can be determined (also per ICH Q7).
• Traceability: the ability to follow material from synthesis, through testing and packing, to the customer, using recorded identifiers.

Source: ICH Q7 Good Manufacturing Practice Guide for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients, Glossary (ich.org)

Why it matters in research

• It ties the CoA to the vial: purity and identity results apply to one lot only.
• It makes experiments reproducible: recording the lot lets you repeat work with the same material or explain lot-to-lot differences.
• It enables follow-up: if a question is raised about a lot, the supplier can identify every order it went to.

What a lab should expect

• A lot number printed on every vial, not just on the outer packaging.
• A certificate for that specific lot, naming the testing laboratory.
• A way to request the certificate by lot number.
• Order records that link the lot to your order.

Red flags

• Vials with no lot number, or handwritten numbers that differ from the certificate.
• One certificate used for every lot of a compound.
• A supplier that cannot say which lot was shipped on an order.

Sable's traceability

Every Sable vial has a printed lot number, and there is a CoA for every product and every lot. Look up a lot or request its certificate and it is emailed within 2 hours. Sable has traded as Sable Peptides since 2019 and was incorporated as Sable Peptides Limited on 29 September 2026.

Frequently asked questions