Quality Considerations for Cannabis
Bakery Products and THC Edibles
The 2018 Farm Bill paved the ground for industrial hemp to be grown legally in the United States. Industrial hemp, which is not psychoactive, and psychoactive cannabis are both considered varieties of the same plant, Cannabis sativa.
However, plant breeders have deliberately developed the cultivars currently described as "industrial hemp" to have tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentrations below the legally required 0.3 percent threshold and frequently higher concentrations of the non-psychoactive cannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD). On the other hand, plant breeders have bred the types that are widely known as "cannabis" to contain higher concentrations of psychoactive THC.
Cannabinoids can be added to various baked products using correctly processed hemp/cannabis ingredients without interfering with the baked good's sensory components. Bakery products are excellent prospects for using cannabis-derived or cannabis-based components. However, you must consider specific quality standards for these THC edibles.
Ingredient Intelligence Factor
It is simple to add hemp and cannabis-derived ingredients to baked items. Due to their high lipid solubility, cannabinoids are particularly simple to combine with components used in baking, such as butter, canola oil, olive oil, etc.
The number of terpenes affects flavor and taste. Terpene concentrations in hemp extracts and distillates are higher than in isolation and broad-spectrum powder. Because distillates and highly concentrated oils are extremely viscous and resemble crystallized honey or beeswax, they typically require high temperatures to liquefy.
The mixing procedure is made more difficult by the additional heating required to ensure that the components are distributed evenly. The final baked good has more variation due to the thick, oily character of the extracts and distillate.
Broad spectrum powder, on the other hand, has a minor flavor influence and impact on a recipe because no further heating is needed, so we believe it is the most significant component for these uses. It is the most specific cannabis component to measure, combine, and administer reliably.
The sensory and bio-absorption aspects of cannabis components are discussed. The majority of cannabinoids have a very bitter taste and unpleasant sensory properties. These variables can be successfully managed by collaborating with a reputable ingredient supplier.
Safety Factor
Being a bio-accumulator, cannabis Sativa absorbs everything from its surroundings, including pesticides, fertilizers, and heavy metals. Limiting fertilizers, solvents, and other growing or processing tools when cultivating and extracting CBD from cannabis and, to a lesser degree, hemp has received a lot of attention.
When policing the presence and quantity of potential contaminants in regulated markets, the government agency enforcing cannabis regulations is frequently highly severe. It's crucial to obtain complete certificates of analysis (COAs) for the substance from reputable third-party laboratories when purchasing CBD-containing components.
Since most extracts, distillates, and isolates rely on solvent-based techniques, these COAs should contain residual solvent testing. Therefore, you should include testing for heavy metals and pesticides.
The homogeneous distribution of the hemp/cannabis extract through baked items is crucial. It is frequently ideal for administering the cannabis in a water-soluble form, either a liquid emulsion or an efficiently rehydrated powder form, to ensure consistency and homogeneity, meaning each bite has the expected quantity.
If an emulsion is water-soluble, you can add it to the water portion of the mixture, or you should use a rehydrating powder if dry blending is preferable for low-water systems. Cannabinoids are relatively stable once baked into a product and have beneficial shelf lives that frequently last longer than a year.
