CBD processing plays a crucial role in extracting CBD extracts from the hemp plant. Whether you want to extract terpenes or crude oil, it’s necessary to complete the CBD extraction process. But the standard process will enable you to extract the only crude oil.
If you deal with manufacturers that formulate end-user products, you need to extract CBD distillate and isolate. The reason is crude extracted from the standard extraction process has fats, waxes, and solvents that cannot be used for production
Here CBD post-processing helps you extract all the essential extracts required for further production. Furthermore, the post-extraction processes help you refine the crude oil and enable you to make end-user CBD products.
That’s why I created a detailed guide to explain various post extraction processes with their usage. In this guide, you get a detailed view of five crucial steps of CBD post-processing and what equipment you require to get expected results.
Five Steps of CBD Post Processing:
Table of Contents
Toggle Table of ContentAs you know, the extraction process includes supercritical CO2 extraction, decarboxylation, and more to extract the crude oil. It means you have full-spectrum crude oil and it’s time to refine it for manufacturing consumer goods.
Here are the top 5 post-extraction processes that will help you:
Winterization:
Winterization is a complete process designed to remove fats and waxes from CBD crude oil. In this, extractors combine crude oil with ethanol and freeze both components to -20 degrees Celsius. It will enable you to collect fats and waxes under a cold temperature.
But the story doesn’t end here! After that, you need to put it into a vacuum filtration to filtrate any excessive plant materials. The proper completion of this process is necessary if you’re looking to hit the benchmark of clear golden or high-quality distillate.
Solvent Removal:
In the CBD extraction process, you use various solvents to extract cannabinoids from the hemp plant. But these solvents should be removed to get the purest form of CBD for the final product. Here the solvent removal process can help you.
As the name describes, it’s a process to remove solvents using heat under vacuum pressure. This process will enable you to create a thin oil film and remove solvents without damaging the extract. However, you require proper equipment to create and manage thin film during the process.
Equipment required for solvent removal:
Rotary evaporators:
Rotary evaporators well known as rotovap are commonly used during the solvent removal process. It features a round bottom flask that is rotated with a specific amount of heat and water. Interestingly, you get a thin film of oil inside the flask that can be evaporated before collecting the chilled condenser.
On average, rotavapor can generate an output of 5-10 liter per hour. It means you require multiple rotary evaporators for expected solvent removal.
Falling film evaporators:
Like rotavapor, falling film evaporators are also helpful in creating a thin film of oil under vacuum pressure. But the method of creating the film is quite different in falling film evaporators when compared to rotavapor.
Falling film evaporators feed the solvent mixture and make it get inside the heated column in a thin film. In most cases, they have a higher surface area and a series of metal tubes in the evaporation column.
Distillation:
Distillation is a famous process used for CBD extracts in the botanical extraction industry. In this process, two or more substances are separated by manipulating their boiling points. CBD distillation increases the viscosity of CBD extracts and helps in creating high-quality cannabinoids.
It may surprise you that the cannabinoid percentage in distillate CBD extracts can be above 90%. That’s why it is used in edibles, tinctures, and vaporizers.
Equipment required for distillation:
Wiped film evaporators:
The distillation process requires equipment that creates a thin and consistent film of CBD distillate. The wiped film evaporators have wiper blades that spread oil on an evaporative surface. Also, wipers create a film without reducing the viscosity and purity of CBD.
As they are advanced machines, wiped film evaporators allow you to get better clarity, color, and flavor of the end-user products.
Chromatography:
Chromatography is another crucial step of post CBD processing. In chromatography, various compounds of a particular solution are separated according to legal regulations. This process allows you to detect and remediate any unknown residuals.
You can take THC content in CBD products as an example here. FDA has restricted Delta 9 THC content to 0.3% in CBD products. So, Chromatography helps you remediate excessive THC content to make FDA compliant products.
Equipment required for Chromatography:
extraktLAB’s pure99 Chromatography system:
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Isolation:
Isolation is the final step of the post-extraction process that allows you to extract the purest form of CBD. In isolation, extractors remove additional plant material such as terpenes and cannabinoids. It’s a powder form of CBD that includes a 99% purity range.
But have you ever wondered why CBD isolate is so famous? As it is the purest form, CBD isolate doesn’t feature psychoactive substances like THC. It means isolated products are the best option for consumers who are looking for full-spectrum products.
Conclusion:
When it comes to formulating end-user products, post-CBD processing is always necessary. As discussed in the article, there are 5 post-extraction processes that help you refine crude oil. These refinement processes eliminate any excessive plant materials and get you the finest CBD extracts.
Especially the CBD isolate which is also considered the purest form of CBD requires a complete isolation process. As discussed above, CBD isolate has separate popularity among people who want to avoid psychoactive compounds.