The quality of CBD oil is not solely depended on the quality of the hemp biomass, the type of production is highly relevant as well. There are several methods to extract cannabinoids from hemp biomass. In this article we will take a closer look on the two primary methods: Cold Ethanol Extraction and Supercritical CO2. These two methods are the primary in our branch of digestible CBD since they are among the safest for consumer intake.
Firstly, it is necessary for hemp biomass to go through a solvent because it is essential to separate the cannabinoids from the plant. Since the cannabinoids are concentrated as an oil it is simply not possible to rinse it off with water (e.g., in tea) on an industrial scale. The solvent allows the producers to create a new concentrated cannabinoid. Furthermore, it is important to note that the same biomass can turn out as completely different distillates, depending on which extraction method is used, this is not only in physical appearances (colour, smell etc.) but in their final chemical profile as well. These differences are all depended on the applied extraction method. So now let us take a closer look on the two extraction methods.
Ethanol is a clear alcoholic substance with only minimal risk of toxicity. The hemp biomass will undergo a rinsing procedure with ethanol, this centrifugation allows the nutrients and cannabinoids matter to be separated from the biomass. After this step the producers will be left with two separated products: hemp biomass and a liquid containing high amounts of cannabinoids plus ethanol, the liquid will still contain some amounts of chlorophyll and will therefore have a clear to brown or green coloration. Now the ethanol must be extracted so only the cannabinoids and terpenes are left in the liquid. This is done by exposing the oil to specific temperatures in a closed vacuum and evaporation system. Under these conditions the ethanol will evaporate and can hereby be reobtained in another separate tank, leaving the oil only with plant nutrients and cannabinoids (with little to no ethanol) and is now ready to go through a distillation program.
In contrast the Supercritical CO2 method needs further actions in order to separate the cannabinoids from the hemp biomass. The CO2 (gas) needs to be cooled and pressurized on till it reaches a state between gas and liquid, this in between state is what is known as the supercritical state. This matter is now able to rinse through the hemp biomass. The most common machinery for such procedures is a three-chamber system. The first chamber pressurizes the CO2, the second contain the biomass and the last reobtain the used CO2 after the rinsing procedure. After a first glans the two methods seems quite similar, so let us dive a little further.
The most obvious difference between the two methods is the financial burden, ethanol is a cheaper resource than CO2, in machinery as well as a resource. On the positive side can both reobtain the applied resource and reuse most of it for further production, limiting production waste. The strongest argument against cold ethanol extraction is its function as a generalized solvent, meaning it is not as selective with what it separates from the hemp biomass. Though some would argue that it only makes it preferable regarding CBD oil and cannabinoid production in general, since it allows the ethanol to extract more phytochemicals than other solvents such as supercritical CO2. Leaving the final product with a greater nutrient-density. Another strong argument for the use of cold ethanol extraction is the safety of the laboratory workers since they can work with lower temperatures and without the risks of handling the CO2 gasses. Advocates for supercritical CO2 will often say that the fact that it is a “solventless” production will outweigh the positive lean way towards ethanol. It is correct that an unrefined CO2 product is solventless, but this product will still consist of lipids and therefor useless as a final product. So, to complete the product into (e.g., CBD oil) it will be necessary to apply a solvent such as ethanol to purify the CO2 extracted mass.
Based on these reasonings and other factors we at Canavita Labs have decided to build our production of high cannabinoid products around what we call the sophisticated cold ethanol extraction method. After the process of ethanol extraction our products will undergo a defined distillation program in, among other steps, a two-step molecular separation/purification system. This 2-step molecular distillation system separates cannabinoid content as well as chlorophyll, terpenes and ethanol remains, leaving us with a full spectrum CBD distillate with a clear amber coloration. Since it leaves us with a separate purified terpene liquid it makes it possible to controle the final terpene content of the finished full spectrum product.