James GordanTable of Contents
If you have ever wondered how hemp is turned into CBD oil! Let’s have a look at some of the most popular CBD extraction processes and see how they impact the quality of the CBD oil produced. CBD (cannabidiol) is a natural chemical component found in hemp plants.
It is generally derived from hemp plants with less than 0.3 percent THC and has a wide variety of medicinal applications due to its numerous therapeutic advantages. There are multiple popular CBD products like CBD hemp capsules in UK, CBD gummies, oil, tincture, cream, balm, and salves. But do you know how the extraction method also affects the quality of CBD? Let’s learn about it.
What Is the Best Way to Extract CBD From Cannabis?
It’s no surprise that CBD’s popularity is growing by the day, given its numerous medicinal advantages. Many people are still interested in the hemp-derived oil’s extraction processes and if they influence its quality.
Different CBD extraction techniques are now in use by producers.
It’s worth mentioning that each extraction process has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. If you’re still curious about how CBD is extracted, these are the most common methods:
Extraction of CO2
This is the most expensive technique of extracting CBD oil since it necessitates the use of specialized gear. It makes use of carbon dioxide’s supercritical characteristics, which allow it to exist in solid, fluid, and gas phases.
Until the CBD oil extraction is complete, the entire process focuses on changing the states of CO2 at various pressures and temperatures. This extraction process may be classified as follows, depending on the temperature of CO2 used:
- CO2 Extraction at Supercritical Pressure
- CO2 Extraction at Subcritical Pressure
- CO2 Extraction at a Critical Point
CO2 extraction is only safe when carried out by trained specialists.
Extraction of Solvents
This is one of the earliest techniques for extracting CBD. It dissolves and isolates CBD using solvents such as hexane, ethanol, and butane before the solvent is evaporated.
Because the majority of the solvents employed are flammable, this is an extraction process that must be handled with caution and the proper equipment. The extraction procedure and the quality of the final extract will both be affected by the solvent concentration.
Extracting Olive Oil
Another common traditional method of obtaining CBD from hemp is through distillation. The main distinction between solvent extraction and natural olive oil extraction is that solvent extraction employs natural olive oil for extraction.
It also necessitates decarboxylation of the hemp flowers before adding olive oil to the concoction. During the 120-minute heating process, it will reach a temperature of 215 degrees Fahrenheit.
Distillation Using Steam
Steam distillation is another extraction process that has been utilized for decades. Before the resultant vapor is cooled and condensed, steam is utilized to extract CBD components from hemp flowers.
Steam distillation works best when you have a lot of hemp flowers compared to other extraction processes. It’s also a procedure that needs to be watched carefully since the steam might become too hot and disrupt the CBD components.
How Long Does It Take to Extract CBD?
Most individuals believe that CBD extraction takes about five minutes. Instead, it’s an hour-long procedure, with the precise time varying depending on the extraction method utilized.
Because further procedures are necessary to refine the crude CBD oil, you do not have a finished product after extracting CBD oil.
What Effect Does This Approach Have on The Quality of CBD Oil?
In general, the cleanliness, quality, and effectiveness of CBD oil obtained from each extraction technique and subsequent refining procedures are determined by how effectively each extraction method and subsequent refining processes were followed.
Superior extraction and refining techniques yield high-quality CBD. Such products are now readily available, but that does not mean that they are all beneficial to your health. Limit your CBD purchases to top-rated CBD firms that care about your safety and well-being to avoid taking chances.
Finally, the quality of CBD products is determined by the efficiency with which the extraction and refining procedures are carried out.
Simon Leonard