Reading a Peptide Vial Label: Lot Number, Expiry and What Each Line Means
A vial label is small, but each line has a job. This guide explains what is printed on a research peptide vial, why, and how the lot number connects the vial in your hand to the test results for that exact batch.
Research use only. Not for human consumption. Not evaluated by Health Canada. This guide covers specifications, storage and documentation. It gives no dosing or usage guidance.
In short.
- The label identifies the vial. A label typically carries the compound, amount per vial, lot code, expiry date and a research-use statement.
- The lot code is the key line. It links the vial to a single production batch and to the certificate of analysis (COA) for that batch. The COA for your lot is available by email on request.
- The expiry date and the reconstituted window are different limits. The printed expiry applies to the sealed vial. Once reconstituted, Vitaliti's stated window is up to 30 days refrigerated, and it never runs past the printed expiry.
What's on the label.
A research peptide label typically carries the fields below.
| Field | What it tells you | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Compound name | Which peptide or blend is in the vial | Confirms you received what you ordered |
| Amount per vial | The labelled mass in mg (or volume, for BAC water) | Matches the product page and the COA |
| Lot code | The production batch the vial came from | Lets you request and match the COA for that batch |
| Expiry date | The date after which the sealed vial should not be relied on | Sets the outer limit for storage |
| Research-use statement | That the product is for research use only | States the product's intended scope |
Every Vitaliti vial is labelled with its lot code and its expiration date. That much is fixed across the range.
The lot code.
In regulated drug manufacturing, a lot or batch number has a precise meaning: a distinctive combination of letters, numbers or symbols from which the complete history of a batch (its manufacture, processing, packing, holding and distribution) can be traced. Research peptides are not drugs, but the idea is the same: the code is a key to a record.
Clinical products show how routine this is. Vials of sterile water and bacteriostatic water, for example, carry a printed field for the lot (LOT) and expiry (EXP).
At Vitaliti, each synthesis run is tied to a unique lot code from the first coupling step. That code is what appears on the vial.
The lot code on the vial is what you match to the COA. Copy it exactly as printed.
Matching the lot to its COA.
A COA is only useful if it describes the batch you are holding. A COA for a different batch, or a summary covering several batches, cannot tell you about your vial.
To get the COA for your lot:
- Read the lot code from the vial label.
- Email contact@vitalitipeptide.com with the lot code from your label (and your order number if you have it).
- Check that the lot code on the COA matches the code on your vial exactly.
Many peptide COAs include the first two tests below, and some labs also report the others. The COA for your lot lists which tests were run on it.
| Test | What it checks |
|---|---|
| HPLC | Purity, as a share of peak area |
| Mass spectrometry | Identity: that the molecule has the expected mass |
| Residual solvents | Leftover solvents from synthesis |
| Amino acid analysis | Quantity: the amount of peptide present |
For what a purity figure does and doesn't tell you, see Peptide purity, explained.
For a stack, check both vials. The BPC + TB Stack ships as two separate vials, one of each compound, and each carries its own lot code.
Replies to COA requests come during support hours, 6am–9pm EST, Monday to Friday.
Expiry date vs reconstituted window.
These are two separate clocks.
| Printed expiry date | Reconstituted window | |
|---|---|---|
| Applies to | The sealed, lyophilized vial | The vial after the peptide is dissolved |
| Where it's recorded | On the label | Not on the label; write the date on the vial |
| Vitaliti's stated limit | The date printed | Up to 30 days refrigerated |
| Which wins | Always the outer limit | Ends at 30 days or the printed expiry, whichever is first |
The same principle appears in clinical practice for opened multi-dose vials: an opened multi-dose vial is dated and discarded within 28 days unless the manufacturer says otherwise, and that date never exceeds the manufacturer's original expiration date.
The expiration date applies to the sealed vial stored as directed. Vitaliti's storage guidance for lyophilized vials is 2–8°C, away from light. Peptides in solution degrade faster than dry peptides, which is why the reconstituted window is much shorter than the shelf life of a sealed vial.
Read the label on arrival.
When an order arrives, check each vial before it goes into storage:
- Compound and amount match the order.
- The lot code is legible. Note it in your records.
- The expiry date is in the future and leaves enough time for your work.
- The vial, seal and stopper are intact.
If an item is damaged or incorrect, report it within 72 hours of delivery with photos. Vitaliti replaces or refunds damaged or incorrect items.
Keep the label legible.
The lot code is only useful if you can still read it. Refrigerator condensation and handling can smudge or loosen labels. Keep a written record of the lot code and expiry for each vial from the day it arrives, and avoid covering the label with your own stickers. If you write a reconstitution date, write it where it does not hide the lot or expiry.