Distillation is a process that has been used for thousands of years. However, it is now that people have come to know about its potential to extract the purest form of elements. This old technology is being used in the medical field to find the purest form of Cannabis. The process is known as CBD distillate.
Extracting, isolating, separating, and distilling pure cannabis strains are the current trends. Also, equipment and techniques have been created to develop these products. From the advanced THC distillate vapor pen to CBD tinctures, the distillation process has a major role to play.
What Is CBD Distillate?
CBD distillate is the process of separating CBD molecules from the Cannabis Sativa plants with a selective boiling process. In fact, this type of distillation process is used worldwide in alcohol distilleries. This process is used to create higher alcohol content in spirits like vodka.
The same concept is used in CBD distillate.
Compounds Separated Through Distillation
When we talk about CBD distillate products, we have considered the component we want to separate from the Marijuana plant. If we see the whole breakdown process, the process can be categorized in the following.
Cannabinoids
These are the natural compounds found on the cannabis plants and react with the body’s natural cannabinoid receptors.
Terpenes
Terpenes are naturally occurring compounds that are derived from the repeat units of isoprene. Also, these compounds can be easily found in the plants like Hemps, Cannabis, and hops.
Flavonoids
These Are the lesser-mentioned compounds. They are practically found in all the plants and are responsible for imparting color, aroma, and flavor. While these chemical compounds are not prevalent in cannabis plants, they certainly play an important role in CBD distillation.
Fats & Waxes
After the process of CBD distillate, you might find some remnant party of the cannabis plant. These parts are fats and wax, which cannot be distilled.
CBD Distillate: How To Extract CBD?
There are several ways in which you can produce CBD distillate. Given below are some of the popular methods used by people to distillate CBD.
Solventless CBD Extraction
How do we extract CBD without a solvent? The answer is more simple than you think. You just have to apply heat, pressure, and a little bit of friction to the hemp. So, How do you do that, you wonder?
Well, you simply have to freeze the hemp. This practice will help the small trichomes to loosen up a bit. These trichomes, as you know, contain all the elements of cannabinoids and terpenes.
Pros
- No additional equipment is needed.
- Utilize the whole hemp plant.
- The cheapest method of extraction.
Cons
- Yields are practically low.
- Lack of purity control.
- Contain plant materials.
Olive Oil CBD Extraction
Olive oil extraction is the process that is used by many to perform CBD distillate at home. However, before you start with this process, you need to ensure that the plant you are using is decarboxylated. In simple terms, it is heated to activate all the chemical compounds.
Once decarboxylated, mix the plant matter with olive oil. Now again, heat the mixture on a stove for several hours. This process binds the essential compounds like terpenes to the fat in the oil, creating an infused product. Therefore, you need to be vigilant wild boiling the mixture.
Pros
- It can be performed in a home environment.
- Relatively safer than other extraction methods.
- The purity level is high compared to solventless extraction methods.
Cons
- Lacks control over the final products.
- Weak & unreliable CBD content.
- Not suitable for commercial sale.
Basic Solvent CBD Extraction
The solvents extraction process is not the best in the business; however, there are some fans who believe in this extraction process. The process is simple but very risky. The process involved running a liquid solvent through decarboxylated CBD distillate to remove cannabinoids and terpenes.
The solvents that are used can be butane, ethanol, and hexane. Furthermore, the process ends with safely evaporating all the solvent to ensure high-quality CBD extract.
Pros
- A cheap process with relatively fewer equipment requirements.
- The purity of the CBD distillate is high.
- Practical for commercial production.
Cons
- Solvents are highly flammable and can cause accidents.
- The oil can remain contaminated with solvents.
- If the temperature is high, it can destroy other chemical compounds.
Supercritical CO2 CBD Extraction
In this extraction process, CO2 is manipulated to enter a supercritical state. With the characteristic of both gas and liquid, it breaks all the essential compounds present in Cannabis.
Pros
- The extraction process is clean.
- Offer highly effective yields.
- Sustainable process & environment-friendly.
Cons
- It is an expensive process.
- Require trained professionals.
Does The FDA Regulate CBD?
Cutting the long story short, NO! The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate any kind of CBD products to ensure humans are safe. However, the government has been active in recent years and has been exploring its positive effect on society.
Anyhow, there are now CBD-related laws that banned cannabinoid-based products that contain over 0.3% of tetrahydrocannabinol. hence, you can buy CBD products containing only 0.3% THC.
The Future Of Cannabis Products
Not long ago, the future of Cannabis was at the horizon in the form of CBD distillates. However, with the increased activity of Cannabis in the medical field, we can see a bright future for CBD.
The technological innovation and the ability to extract, separate, reintroduce and purify Cannabis has opened a new world of work for CBD in the product formulation industry.
With CBD distillate, the world has come across the following benefits.
- Consistent, pure cannabis oils.
- A potential roadmap to create new cannabis products.
- The opportunity to explore numerous health benefits.
