Guide To Cannabis Quality Control And Testing
Cannabis is the common name for Cannabis Sativa; the plant that is the source of both hemp and medical cannabis. Hemp is legally approved and effective through the Farm Bill 2018 and can be grown as an agricultural crop.
Medical cannabis is approved only in 37 states, and adult recreational cannabis is legal in 19 states of the USA. The difference between hemp and cannabis is not limited to legislation reasons only. The main differentiator between hemp and cannabis is the presence of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). If the concentration level of THC in cannabis extract is less than 0.3% on a dry weight basis it is regarded as hemp. The psychoactive properties of THC stimulate the mind and cause intoxication. It is the reason THC level is a factor chosen to decide between hemp and non-hemp products.
State versus a federal overview of cannabis products
Medical cannabis is not legal federally or at a national level. Rules and regulations concerning cannabis products and their industry are governed by individual states. The guidelines for testing and other requirements also differ between states.
Though hemp and hemp-based products are legal as per the Farm Bills, a lot of industry-specific gaps are yet to be filled and clarity on the federal government’s stance on cannabis is pending. The responsibility to create rules or work by best practices is the state’s responsibility currently. States have to frame the guidelines for ensuring the quality assurance measure of hemp and cannabis-based products.
Interstate commerce of CBD products
FDA does not approve interstate buying and selling of CBD-based products. Even end-users traveling and in possession of CBD products that they use for pain alleviation or other generic use, have to be careful as it can be treated as a felony and the person in possession can be charged and arrested.
Scope of industrial use of hemp and CBD
Hemp is used in textiles and sturdy big ropes for industrial use. CBD products are widely marketed for topical use as creams and oils for pain relief from muscle spasms.
These products are also used in dietary supplements, such as wellness capsules, syrups, and infant and veterinary food. Chocolate bars, teas, and child formula food are prepared using CBD to enhance general health such as good metabolism, immunity, and ability to manage pain in general. Since these products are extensively marketed, care has to be taken to avoid interstate commerce of the stuff to avoid legal complications and regulatory constraints.
Quality control in cannabis processing
Current Good Manufacturing Practice or CGMP guidelines set out by FDA for any product that is manufactured and processed is preset. It has exhaustive rules on the handling of products, training of the personnel involved, equipment and plant, sanitation practices to prevent contamination, documented standard operating procedures, quality control, sampling and testing, and other final product evaluation.
Since the industry is on the brink of infancy, many policies will change in the future. Any manufacturing unit should be susceptible to incorporate those changes for overall industry acceptance even in the future.
Manufacturers and stakeholders have to be vigilant about every stage as the margin of THC they are dealing with that demarcates hemp from other scheduled cannabis products is very low. They also have to ensure that a host of the guidelines issued under CGMP are adhered to establish their credibility in the market.
All these reasons iterate the need for quality control and third-party testing from independent agencies that have no conflict of interest and can state the facts that can ensure the potency and safety levels of the sample of hemp and cannabis products.
What are the different testing parameters for hemp or CBD products?
Potency test
Cannabis and hemp-based products are tested as per different state rules and requirements. Few states accept the testing of only THC levels. However, THCA is often converted to THC after heating. To restrict people from growing variants that are high in THCA but low in THC, few states require testing for the total level of both compounds.
All states need the THC levels to be less than 0.3% as per the dry weight basis. Even USDA understands that the margin level is very strict to comply with. This is the reason that there are no legal repercussions for slight variance in THC up to 1% level. However, if the potency level is above the prescribed limits, then the entire product has to be disposed of responsibly.
Terpenes test
Terpenes give a distinct smell and taste to the hemp product. Hemp oil and creams that have a higher concentration of terpenes have been preferred by consumers. Testing for terpenes is challenging as they are structurally similar and non-polar.
Impurities test
To maintain standards of safety for human consumption, hemp samples should be tested for impurities such as mycotoxins, microbes, residual pesticides, heavy metals, and other factors like moisture content.
How to choose the right testing facility for cannabis products
The growers and manufacturers of cannabis and hemp products are dealing in an uncertain industry that is yet to see many policy changes. However, to keep in line with the state guidelines, one has to ensure quality control and testing of their products.
Choosing a laboratory that is adept at testing cannabis and hemp-related products, should be proficient with the right kind of sample handlers who are trained in biochemistry and toxicology testing.
The right kind of testing facility is not just good at their core job but also communicates the results immediately to their clients so that corrective measures can be taken. Most labs have automated their workflow process so that growers don’t have to wait long hours for the test results.
Conclusion:
Care has to be taken to maintain the conditions at control levels so that there is no difference between the sample control found in testing and overall products during the random quality control of the product. If the temperature conditions or moisture content varies, the chances of contamination in the final product are more and will be undetected during sample testing.
