For decades, the cannabis brownie has reigned supreme. The widespread symbol of cannabis consumables was almost uncontested. Butter and fats appeared to be the only way to keep the oil-soluble cannabinoids in cannabis. Pure Green aims to alter that perception.
The active ingredient in cannabis, THC, is not water soluble. Instead, the THC molecules are bound to a water-soluble substance through a food-chemical procedure. This approach is used by numerous items.
You may infuse cannabis into milk or coconut milk, but these are less-than-ideal solvents because they have a higher water content and so will have a greater degree of polarity. You must employ non-polar solvents when extracting THC from cannabis. This is an indisputable truth about marijuana chemistry, with the same level of impermanence as death and taxes.
If you want to make a water soluble cannabis product, I suggest buying these items from a legitimate dispensary that sells professionally produced goods intended for use in water-based edibles. If you live in an anti-cannabis state with a prohibitionist legal system, you may have to put off making water soluble THC products for the time being.
Water-Soluble THC
The cannabinoids present in cannabis are oil soluble, as would be expected. Stephen Goldner, CEO and Founder of Pure Green, said as follows in an interview with Cannabis Tech: “There are water-soluble molecules and oil-soluble molecules. There are a variety of other ways to break down cannabis compounds. Some people claim that acidic vs activated is the distinction.”
Junk food is harder for the body to break down. In a normal diet, junk food does not belong. People forget that oil is a highly processed foods. Goldner said it took him “About six or eight minutes” to figure out that using fats was undesirable because people don’t do well with oil. You’re comfortable with anything from flavored water to coffee or tea. A thimbleful of oil? I don’t think so. Those aren’t the right oils for you. You wouldn’t do as well with a cup of 30 weight oil. You also wouldn’t do as well with a thimble full of oil. Because my goal was to create good medication for people rather than make them ill, I had to alter the molecule from being oil-soluble to water-soluble. Like they say in the film ‘Men in Black,’ you’re essentially a bag of water with some protein added.”
Goldner first got his start in business as a teenager, when he co-invented methadone to receive an A on a graduate school project in New York. To raise the cash for the drug, he was forced to drop out of school, allowing the institution to obtain a $5 million grant. He wasn’t daunted by creating a water-soluble cannabis product.
“I’m a chemist,” Goldner disclosed. “There are four ways to render oil-soluble medications water-soluble. I chose the fourth option because most people wouldn’t think of it. I thought it would help me patent my idea since I need to regulate it; otherwise, others will steal it from me. I discovered how to make it water soluble. I spoke with another chemist in Ann Arbor and he said, “Yes, that’s possible.” It took us about 15 minutes to talk about it.”
How Pure Green Turns Cannabinoids Water-Soluble
Goldner compares Pure Green’s technique to that of a carriage, using the charm of Cinderella as an example. They take the cannabinoids, wrap them in a casing, and then build a bubble around each one. These bubbles are created from water-soluble molecules that face outward. The body understands these molecules as water rather than oil because they’re enclosed in spherical capsules. The cannabinoid is likened to the horse since
“This transport vehicle carries the chemical from your tablet to the epidermis, whether it’s on your tongue or in your mouth,” Goldner said. “Surface tension bursts like a bubble, and the particles flood out. They attach themselves to the skin and are absorbed in about five seconds. That’s just how it works; I didn’t come up with that part.”
The structure of the vehicle is derived from aliphatic categories that mimic water. The cannabinoids are made stable due to the fact that the internal-facing molecules are oily, allowing the part of the tablet nearest to the cannabinoids to stabilize them, while the external-facing portions of the carriage are absorbed by the body.
We’ll start with the basics. As scientists at ACS Laboratory, our first and most important priority is to get technical before we proceed. That implies stating that the phrase “water soluble cannabinoids” is mostly a marketing term rather than a scientific one. The truth is that water soluble cannabinoids do not exist. Cannabinoids are naturally fat- and alcohol-soluble by nature.
When people say something is “water soluble,” they aren’t talking about cannabinoids that have been broken down to such tiny sizes that they are evenly dispersed throughout water-based mixtures. This is also known as nano-immersive technology. For the purpose of this discussion, we’ll stick with the general industry jargon and refer to these cannabinoids as “water soluble.”
The Benefits
It’s a lot more difficult to make a cannabis or hemp beverage that dissolves in water correctly since it requires complex technology and methods. When done well, the end product is a high-quality drink with even dispersion and precise dosing. Many industry experts believe that cannabis infused drinks may cause significant disruption in the alcohol business due to their deliciousness and effectiveness.
Mixing problem solved
Remember the mixing issue (anchor link) we discussed earlier? That’s simple to address when you use real water soluble cannabinoids. The hemp or cannabis ingredients in these advanced beverages dissolve equally throughout, allowing for precise dosing and no shaking is required. That means the carbonated canna-beverage issue has been resolved. Yes—sparkling water infused with CBD!
Late onset solved
The waiting hours and wondering if or when the cannabis beverage will take effect are now a thing of the past. Furthermore, the days of experiencing potentially unwanted psychoactive effects for hours are over. Water soluble cannabinoids dissolve straight into the mouth, stomach, and small intestine rather than requiring digestion like oil soluble cannabinoids. They act fast and subside much more rapidly than traditional edibles and beverages. These types of beverages can work in as little as 5 minutes but can last 90 minutes or less.
Taste Problem Solved
The amazing flavor potential of water soluble technology is without a doubt one of its most significant advantages. That typical earthy-meets-oil taste may soon be a thing of the past, as delicious beverages that rival the best juices, teas, coffees, and cocktails on the market take its place.
Water Soluble Challenges & Solutions
The necessity for new technology in the cannabis beverage market is obvious. Water soluble cannabinoids are also a solution, as is clear. But, of course, few things that are truly valuable are ever simple—and that holds true for this technology as well. So, what are the difficulties with water soluble cannabinoids and how can we solve them?
Methodology Challenges
Because cannabinoids are water soluble, it’s more time and expensive to conduct the scientific techniques necessary to create a high-quality emulsion (a combination of two or more liquids that don’t usually mix).
Because they are liquid, macroemulsions have the highest production costs. They also create particles that can be seen by the naked eye and are hazy in color, as well as separating solutions. Nano emulsions, on the other hand, describe “water-soluble cannabinoids.Nano emulsions are manufactured using nanotechnology. Nano emulsions, which are translucent when dissolved in a water-based solution, must be broken down and combined by shear force with sophisticated equipment. By breaking down and mixing components with shear force, nanoemulsions must be produced automatically through a method that separates and combines components. Optimizing and scaling in a cost-effective manner are the major issues confronted by businesses.
However, a number of firms, including Sproutly Canada, Trait Biosciences, Vitality Biopharma, and Emerald Health Therapeutics, have produced or are developing water soluble goods using various techniques. The following methods are being used by these companies:
Advanced Solutions
High-amplitude ultrasonication – This is the most energy-efficient, low-cost, and simple technique. It utilizes loud sound in the form of high intensity acoustic waves to dissolve emulsion particles. This procedure is ecologically responsible and meets the demands of clients for natural components.
Microwave-Assisted Microwaving – High pressure homogenization is a type of microwave processing that employs high pressure to form tiny particles. It combines technology with pressure division to integrate the two pressures streams and direct them through microchannels in the microfluidization equipment, resulting in a powerful cutting action. When compared to high speed homogenization (which uses only one stream of pressure), it’s one of the most efficient processes.
Microencapsulation – Cannabis particles are encapsulated in a natural binding substance using microencapsulation, allowing THC or CBD to readily dissolve in cold water. One example is Trait Bioscience’s Trait Distilled Technique.
The first step of the Trait Bioscience process is to extract cannabis oils from plants using a solvent, then ferment them. Then they combine sugar molecules with cannabinoids, turning them from fat soluble to water soluble. While this technique is undoubtedly successful, it will not meet consumer demand for more healthy, natural options.
Testing Challenges
We are most familiar with water-soluble problems in the context of laboratory testing at ACS Laboratory. Many of the HEMP/CBD beverage producers that use us to test their products claim that previous labs provided inconsistent findings. There are a few possible reasons for this:
Some laboratories believe that cannabinoids are water soluble, so they test the water itself for strength. They have no idea that they must first extract the cannabinoids from the solution before testing it. This is a crucial step. Unfortunately, if a lab lacks a strong scientific background, it may overlook this step. Furthermore, even if the lab is aware of extracting, it may not have the appropriate equipment to get accurate results. nFor example , UHPLC equipment will not be able to detect low levels of cannabinoids in these drinks because
We’ve done our homework on this problem at ACS Laboratory, and we’re leading the charge in cannabis beverage testing. We extract very small amounts of cannabinoids from any type of liquid. Then, using LC-MS technology, we look for micro traces of CBD, THC, and other cannabinoids in the solution. We are a science-driven laboratory that has received numerous accolades. That’s how we ensure consistent findings.