How Technology Helps With CBD Oil Extraction

Introduction

Cannabidiol or CBD is among the many chemical compounds found in Cannabis sativa. CBD offers its users numerous health benefits.

CBD is a naturally occurring compound used to make a variety of products such as edibles, oils, and balms. Compared to its close cousin, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, CBD is not psychoactive.

Cannabis sativa has two primary species, hemp, and marijuana, both of which contain some CBD level. However, hemp has a higher percentage between the two, and it’s usually the primary source of CBD because it contains very few traces of THC, unlike marijuana.

What Are the Various Forms of Consuming CBD?

It depends on what you hope to achieve when you take CBD initially. Many forms of CBD are available for use. Such forms include; capsules and pills, creams, ointments, tinctures, or you could CBD Edibles and vape it instead.

The main differences between these ways are how long the effect will last and the speed of delivery.

CBD has a variety of benefits. Some of them include;

• Helps reduce seizures in epileptic patients.
• Easing the symptoms of depression and anxiety.
• Helps with pain and inflammation.
• It helps insomniacs get better sleep.

These are just some of the many benefits it has, and being a fairly new compound, researchers are still trying to find more ways CBD may be put to use to better the human condition.

That said, knowing the technology behind CBD extraction matters in terms of quality and how to take it. Here are five ways technology helps in the extraction of CBD oil.

Technology Behind CBD Oil Extraction

1. CO2 Extraction

Another great way technology helps in the extraction of CBD oil is through the Carbon Dioxide (CO2) extraction process. This extraction method uses a supercritical removal process to ensure the final product is pure.

Manufactures employ the use of machinery which will pressurize CO2 to pull CBD from the cannabis plant. The resulting product is a solution that has gone through temperature and pressure changes.

The idea behind this extraction method is to change CO2 from gas to liquid. Manufacturers make sure the temperature drops below the – 69-degree Fahrenheit mark. They also increase the pressure to over 75 pounds per square inch (psi).

The supercritical removal process will help get good quality CBD oil that doesn’t have any traces of THC.

2. Olive Oil or Ethanol Extraction

Ethanol is a chemical approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It’s safe for human consumption but at a specific potency and consistency. Ethanol is a general-purpose solvent used in many ways, including the extraction of CBD from cannabis.

Manufacturers of CBD oil use ethanol due to its water-soluble properties. It will quickly dissolve chlorophyll because of its molecular structure. After extracting the CBD oil from cannabis, it may taste bitter and grassy and have minimal traces of THC.

Apart from using ethanol, manufacturers also use olive oil to produce CBD oil — sounds counterintuitive, but it works. Most individual companies prefer using olive oil over ethanol because heating olive oil is far easier than raising the temperature of ethanol.

Manufactures heat up the olive to 200 degrees Fahrenheit before filtering out the extracts from cannabis. However, its potency compared to the extraction by ethanol is relatively low, and consumers need to take higher doses of CBD oil if it’s extracted using olive oil.

3. Thermal Extraction

This modern process of CBD extraction has allowed the resulting CBD oil to be available for different users through technology. This means that both humans and their pets can get high-quality CBD oil for their consumption.

Some producers of CBD oil use a patented water vapor extraction machine that only takes out the oil from the cannabis plants.

Through heating and condensation, THC is vaporized, then these machines extract any CBD found in the THC. The result is a high-quality CBD oil without any trace of the psychoactive cannabinoid.

According to federal laws, this is important because CBD oil meant for consumption should not contain more than 0.3% of THC.

4. Dry Ice Extraction

Some manufactures of CBD oil use dry ice to remove the cannabinoid compound from cannabis plants. This technological process of extraction is able to yield high-quality CBD oil, but it needs more effort and time compared to other extraction processes.

Manufacturers use various pieces of equipment such as bubble hash mesh bags and dry ice to extract CBD oil. The primary benefit of this extraction method is that its easy to use. It doesn’t require as much machinery, but finding dry ice may prove to be difficult depending on your location.

5. Decarboxylation

The cannabinoids found in cannabis plants are usually acidic in nature. Manufacturers introduce low temperatures to the plant to preserve the cannabinoids for extraction. This process also removes the acid molecule so that the manufactures can heat extract to various temperatures.

This process results in activated molecules in the CBD oil that are of high quality for the consumers to reap its maximum benefit.

Conclusion

There countless benefits awaiting consumers who are yet to use CBD oil. When extracted appropriately and with the right technology, the results are usually high-quality CBD oil that will help deal with various health issues more effectively.

References:

1. https://www.analyticalcannabis.com/articles/advances-in-cannabis-extraction-techniques-311772
2. https://www.leafly.com/news/science-tech/cannabis-extracts-the-science-behind-cannabinoid-and-terpene-extr
3. https://www.healtheuropa.eu/pure5-extraction-new-trends-in-cannabis-oil-production/98547/