Many terms exist in the cannabis industry. Many people are familiar with some. However, working in the industry requires more than just knowing a few terms. Working in the industry requires familiarity with a wide range of cannabis industry terms. A basic guide helps to understand what people are talking about in the industry.
Feed
In the cannabis industry terms Feed is equal to the flower. These are the hairy or sticky parts of the plant. This is what is harvested for consumption. Many also refer to this as the trim. All three terms mean the similar part.
Spent Feed
In cannabis industry terms it means talking about leftover cannabis. This is what is left after successful harvesting.
The target of Extraction Content
This cannabis industry term is the focus of harvesting cannabis. Industries harvest the plant to extract THC or CBD. Obviously, these are used for recreational use as well as medicinal. Now, more than ever, more and more states aren’t just using CBD oil, but also seeing the medical benefits of THC.
Contaminants
This cannabis industry term refers to unwanted substances in the cannabis. Some examples of contaminants include pesticides, molds, and bacteria. Other contaminants that are still being closely watched include metals and solvents.
Solvents
These dissolve other substances to create a solution. This method is used extraction. Some solvents used are liquid butane, propane, co2, and water. There is debate on which is the best solvent. Depending on the yield and growing conditions, many times water with the right pH is more than enough. Although some say a better percent yield is possible when using chemical solvents.
Solute
In the cannabis industry terms, solute is the material that has dissolved due to a solvent. These solutes tend to be oils and contaminants that extractors want to be eliminated during the process.
Loaded Solution
In the cannabis industry terms, loaded solution refers to dissolved THC, other solutes, plus the liquid solvent. This is part of the extraction process.
Extract
This refers to the purpose of the process. The extract is the THC oil plus a few other things extracted. The solvent is gone due to evaporation. This allows the industry to use the oils to produce other products. This includes things like edibles, to CBD oil that people use to treat pain.
Recovery
In the cannabis industry terms recovery refers to the percent of a particular molecule dissolved from the feed and retained in the product. Depending on the method of extraction, it can vary. This is also influenced by growing conditions, harvesting methods, and if leaching was used.
Yield
This cannabis industry term is pretty self-explanatory. The yield is the total amount of feed or flower, that is produced. It shouldn’t be confused with the percent yield. It is simply the amount of feed harvested before extraction.
Percent Yield
While the yield refers to the total product, a percent yield is the fraction of the total product divided by the total feed. This basically means the amount of THC and oils that are extracted from the total yield. This does vary, as different methods of growing, harvesting, and extracting produce different percent yields. This happens even when the total yields are similar.
Leaching
The cannabis industry term leaching means dissolving a target into a solution. This process is done many times with tap water if the pH level is correct for the plants. Many also hear it referred to as flushing. This is a step often overlooked but leads to better-smelling flowers. Some claim it makes them easier to burn as well.
Leaching Time
This cannabis industry term is simply how long a solvent is in contact with the feed. Depending on the type of solvent, this time varies. Some suggest shorter times with chemicals solvents. Even using water, it is important to use a special meter to check the total dissolved solids, or TDS.
These cannabis industry terms are not the end-all. If someone needs a passing familiarity, these are a great place to start. With this in mind, continued learning is required. Contact us if you have any other questions or want to know more about the Chillers for the Cannabis industry.
