Legal cannabis consumption is sweeping the nation. Today, 38 states (including Washington, DC) permit marijuana to be used medicinally, and 20 of these states also allow recreational use. This doesn’t mean that just anyone can start growing, manufacturing, and selling cannabis products in these areas; strict laws and ordinances at state and local levels regulate cannabis cultivation, production, and distribution. Thus, each cannabis product meant for legal sale in the U.S. must first undergo analysis by a state-licensed lab. These labs test for potency (active amounts of THC and CBD), as well as safety, screening samples for possible contaminants such as pesticides, mycotoxins, heavy metals, residual solvents, bacteria, and other possibly harmful analytes. Only products that meet compliance requirements are released for distribution and sale, and homogenization can help the cannabis industry create high-quality cannabis products.

But first: What is homogenization?

Homogenization is the process by which the components of a substance are each broken apart into particles that are equal in size and structure and then thoroughly mixed back together. This ensures that a sample maintains the same molecular composition in each of its segments should it ever be divided.

How is homogenization used in the cannabis industry?

Homogenization is critical for the manufacturing and the testing of edibles.

Manufacturing

During the production of cannabis edibles, homogenizers reduce the size of cannabis particles, standardize their composition, and disperse them evenly across the final product.

Having small, uniform cannabis particles equally distributed throughout a sample guarantees:

  • Increased bioavailability – Small particles maximize surface area and allow for increased dissolution and absorption of the active ingredient by up to 75%.
  • Reduced need for more active ingredient – Because more active ingredient can be absorbed, less is needed to make an effect.
  • Faster user response – A better active ingredient that dissolves quickly means users feel a faster response.
  • Better appearance (and taste, when applicable) – Properly mixing a product makes it look (and taste) better.
  • Longer shelf life – Homogenization effectively combines a product’s particles so they can’t separate, creating goods that last longer.

Testing

Homogenization is also critical for the testing and analysis of cannabis edibles. In order to assess potency and search for certain analytes, lab technicians must first homogenize a cannabis sample so that all its particles are evenly dispersed and can be trusted as an accurate and reliable representation of the cannabis edible as a whole. Properly mixing a sample especially helps labs verify the concentration of cannabinoids and terpenoids, those ingredients that most influence a cannabis edible’s overall efficacy. Furthermore, homogenization enables the effective grinding of a sample so that further assay testing can occur.

Want to learn more?

The homogenization process is strengthening the burgeoning cannabis industry. To learn how you can use homogenizers for cannabis products, contact our team at NanoCann. Our proprietary high-pressure homogenizers guarantee cannabis products that are effective, safe, and profitable.

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