• Cannabis

In the fridge, freezer or drawer?

This is the best way to preserve cannabis

An Israeli study conducted for a whole year examined what happens to the active ingredients in cannabis - cannabinoids and terpenes - at different temperatures and over varying lengths of time, and came to conclusions that you should know

Tags

• Cannabis

• marijuana

• Medical Cannabis

Ziv Ganisov, Cannabis Magazine

Sunday, 22 August 2021, 16:17 Updated: Monday, 30 August 2021, 11:09

• Share on Facebook

• Share on WhatsApp

• Share on general

• Share on general

• Share on Twitter

• Share on Email

0 comments

It is known that the way cannabis is stored will affect the level of concentration of the active ingredients in it when consumed, and as a direct result of how it affects the consumer.

But is there a difference between a cannabis inflorescence that "sits" in a drawer and one that is frozen?

And should I keep the inflorescence intact or shred it first?

And which is "destroyed" faster - terpenes or cannabinoids?

An Israeli study conducted at the Technion led by Prof. Dedi Meiri, the results of which were recently published in the scientific journal Frontiers in Plant Science, examined the effect of storage temperature on inflorescences and cannabis extracts of various varieties throughout the year, and revealed some interesting findings.

To Cannabis Magazine >>

More on Walla!

A man has been prosecuted for smoking a joint - the judge has criticized the police

To the full article

Two cannabis strains were taken to test the inflorescence: one rich in CBD ("Golan" strain from the Kendock T5 / C10 category) and the other rich in THC ("Lemon-Kush" from the THC T15 / C3 category from the Kendock company).

Part of the inflorescence was left in its original condition (entire inflorescence) and part was crushed.

In order to test the extracts, the researchers wanted to test the ideal material for maintaining the best quality cannabis extract, and to that end, they extracted the cannabis in ethanol and stored the extract in three different substances: ethanol (alcohol), olive oil, dimethyl sulfoxide (a type of organic solvent).

How do you store your cannabis?

Medical cannabis (Photo: ShutterStock)

The various samples were stored for a whole year in four different temperatures:

room temperature (25 degrees Celsius)

refrigerator (4 degrees)

freezer (30 degrees, slightly colder than a home

freezer

)

industrial freezer (80 degrees)

during the study period and every few months were measured in samples. "To the concentrations of cannabinoids and terpenes." We tested almost 100 cannabinoids, and in addition about 100 more terpenes, "says Luz Milai, a cannabis researcher who worked with Prof. Meiri on the comprehensive experiment that actually constitutes his master's thesis.

Inflorescence test result: cannabinoids do not like heat, terpenes do not like cold

The most significant degradation of molecules occurs in cannabis stored at room temperature (25 degrees).

In contrast, storing cannabis flowers at a temperature of minus 80 degrees will reduce the breakdown of cannabinoids.

The THC-rich variety has been documented over time as an increase in the concentration of THC, the molecule that is actually the main active ingredient in the plant - both for a whole-preserved inflorescence and for a crushed inflorescence.

In addition, there was an increase in the amounts of CBN, a molecule that is formed mainly as a result of degradation of THC and is considered a sign of cannabis obsolescence.

More on Walla!

• Supreme Court ruling: Random drug search at Ben Gurion Airport - prohibited

• Israeli agriculture in trouble - legalization of cannabis can help

• What does our future look like in the age of autonomous vehicles?

The question that will probably arise immediately is why there is an increase in THC percentages as time goes on, and why is it actually not good? Here it is worth mentioning that the phytocannabinoids (cannabinoids at the stage when they are in the plant and have not yet undergone a heating process during or before consumption) are present in the plant in their acid form, in this case "THC acid" and not THC, i.e. "Tetrahydrocannabinolic Acid" or simply "THCA". This component is considered the "precursor" or "precursor" of the famous molecule "THC".

When lighting a joint for example, the high heat resulting from the combustion of the plant substance causes the THCA to "release" carboxylic acid and thus make the phytocannabinoid THCA a cannabinoid THC and in fact a psychoactive "active" one.

In other words: cannabis consumers want a high concentration of THCA in the plant, which after heating will become THC, and not THC, which after heating will become CBN or other molecules. CBN for example is known to have a "heavier" and tiring effect, so it is likely that an old flower will have an effect accordingly, compared to a fresh flower whose effect "lifts".

Similar to the THC strain tested, the CBD strain also showed significant changes in the concentration of CBD versus CBDA (the molecule in its acidic form). On the other hand, to the surprise of the researchers, it was found that almost no change in the CBN concentration was found.

This finding, according to the study's authors, indicates that for CBD-rich strains that contain almost no THC (for example in the "Aryan" strain of the "Togdar" company that was tested and contains 0.48 percent THC and 11.58 percent CBD), CBN can not be considered a sign of aging. THC strains.

"Regulation in Israel still requires manufacturers to display on product packaging a record that the CBN level does not exceed 0.5 percent, even in varieties rich in CBD."

Says Milai, "In reality, you may keep a flower rich in CBD for 30 years under inappropriate conditions - and still not reach half a percent CBN, because it does not have the precursor (" Kodman "), or the" father and mother "that will lead to the formation of CBN, Therefore, there is no point in controlling it as the companies are required to do. "

There is really no need to keep in the freezer.

Cool Woman Joint (Photo: Giphy)

Koda another interesting worthy of consideration is the significant difference in the concentration of sesquiterpenes when cannabis is stored rash Solomon compared inflorescence Grosse:

while that for cannabinoids not detected a significant difference in the concentration of both modes of inflorescence tested (as, inflorescence whole or crushed), it seems that storage cannabis in a rash Grosse lost causes Drastic in concentration Most of the terpenoids that are known to give the plant its unique aroma and in addition play a significant part in the way the cannabinoids are affected as part of the "entourage effect".

For example, the linalool terpene, measured before the storage period at a concentration of 1988 ppm (parts per million), was found after 4 months of storage at a temperature of 4 degrees at a concentration of 1008 ppm in an entire inflorescence (a decrease of almost half the amount). Only 768 ppm from the terpene, an even sharper decline.

Also, in contrast to cannabinoids that were better preserved the colder the temperature - in the terpenes there was a sharp decrease in their concentration under the storage conditions at the lower temperatures.

In general, terpenoids appear to be more susceptible to breakdown than cannabinoids, for example, the average terpenoid concentration was found to be cut by more than 50 percent over a 4-month period, compared with an average 26 percent decrease in cannabinoid concentration after an entire year.

Test results in extracts: No on olive oil

In addition to cannabis inflorescences, the differences in cannabinoid and terpenoid concentrations in cannabis extracts stored in various substances over a period of one year were examined. In general it can be said that cannabinoids lose their value (more susceptible to breakdown) faster in extraction compared to their natural form in inflorescence.

In terms of temperature differences, similar to what happened with inflorescence, the extracts stored for a long time at room temperature (25 degrees) showed more significant changes in the concentration of THC, CBD and other cannabinoids, compared to the cold storage conditions that managed to better maintain the cannabinoid concentration.

It is interesting to see that of the three substances tested, olive oil, which is more common in the extracts that patients receive today, manages to maintain the concentration of the major cannabinoids optimally over time - even at a temperature of 25 degrees.

"Olive oil has a lot of antioxidants, so we did expect to see the oil maintain its extraction from the effects of oxidation," says Mili.

"But what we also found out is that it's a pretty amazing thing, that olive oil also kept the extract from decarboxylation (degradation by heat), and in general is the substance that best preserved the chemical profile of the extracts."

So where to store our cannabis?

The bottom line of the researchers regarding the ideal way to store cannabis in order to maintain the concentration of cannabinoids and terpenoids in it, is to store cannabis as a whole inflorescence in the refrigerator (4 degrees).

But really not sure there is a reason to rush and make room for a new guest in the fridge.

Just not in a small plastic bag.

Cannabis in a box (Photo: Reuven Castro)

"Most cannabis consumers and patients finish their cannabis supply within a few weeks, so the change in substance concentration in such a short period of time is not that significant," explains Milay. "Cannabis, so there is a more significant need to ensure storage in an airtight container and occasional opening of the container outside for ventilation and mold prevention than for the low temperature."

What about freezing? Although the results of the study showed that freezing temperature storage can relatively better maintain the concentration of the active ingredients in cannabis, the study's authors recommend avoiding this: It should be noted that the Dutch "Medical Cannabis Office" (yes, they have a government office dedicated entirely to cannabis) requires any frozen cannabis product to undergo "treatment" (especially additional drying) again to ensure the removal of moisture that may accumulate from prolonged stay in the freezer.

Hazel emphasizes that the worst storage tool for cannabis is the plastic bag. "Almost any storage vessel will produce some level of static electricity, but plastic bags are the worst option because of the relatively high levels of static electricity they cause, causing many trichomes to fall off the flower and stick to the sides of the bag."

Therefore, the best way to preserve cannabis flowers when it comes to inflorescences intended for regular and available use would be storage in a jar, it is best to keep it dark as light also affects the breakdown of cannabinoids, and at room temperature, in a dark place.

The lower the room temperature the better of course.

To Cannabis Magazine >>

• Share on Facebook

• Share on WhatsApp

• Share on general

• Share on general

• Share on Twitter

• Share on Email

0 comments