History of Cannabis

 History of Cannabis

Cannabis is thought to be one of the oldest cultivated crops. Thought to originate in what is now Mongolia and Siberia, ancient cultures migrated the plant all over the western world. Today, cannabis can be found growing wild in any warm climate, although it’s not common in many areas. The plant is not only unique in its medicinal and reactional uses, but its fibers also serve as a material for textiles, robes, sails, and other building materials. Its affects, adaptability and fast growth period have enticed humans for roughly 12,000 thousand of years.

Ancient World

The earliest known use of the cannabis plant occurred in ancient China where people used the plant for its medicinal effects and to make hemp products. The Chinese utilized every part of the plant, including the roots. Plants grown for fibers (hemp) were used for industrial products and the seeds used for food and oils (e.g., grains). Seeds have been found in tombs too, indicating a cultural or spiritual significance. By 100 AD, China recognized over 100 medicinal uses for cannabis.

China wasn’t the only ancient society to use cannabis for its many benefits; a notable Egyptian mummy, Ramses II, was found with cannabis pollen sprinkled among him. Ancient Egyptians were known to use cannabis for sore eyes and cataracts. Scrolls found from roughly 2000 BC suggest using cannabis for medicinal uses.

Cannabis was introduced to India around 1000 BC. The people of India created a medicinal drink called “bhang” which was a mixture of cannabis, milk and other ingredients. Bhang is still consumed today. Even in religion, the Hindu god Shive rested under a cannabis plant and ate its leaves after an argument with the family. The Vedas, an old Hindu text, refers to cannabis as one of five sacred plants, with a guardian angel in its leaves.

Eurasian nomads, called Scythians, are thought to be responsible for bringing cannabis to present day Germany from the Altai mountains in Central and East Asia. Greek writer Herodotus recorded observing the Scythians using cannabis in 440 BC, describing the burning of the cannabis on hot stones creating a bath of smoke and shouting for joy. Around 200 BC, the Greek followed other cultures by using cannabis for medicinal purposes. Cannabis was introduced to Britain in the 5^th century, likely by Vikings.

The New World

 Napoleon’s troops introduced cannabis to France after discovering hashish in Egypt. It grew in popularity in the 19^th century where it was widely used for medicinal purposes for many illnesses and ailments in both Britain and France. Queen Victoria even used cannabis to relieve menstrual pain. The popularity for medicinal use diminished when the syringe was invented. Since cannabis cannot be dissolved, it cannot be injected, resulting in a slower reaction time compared to modern, injectable drugs.

Colonizers introduced cannabis and hemp to the Americas during the mid-1500s when the Spanish encouraged farmers to cultivate the crop; the English colonizers that settled in Jamestown cultivated the plant for its many uses. The English required cannabis to be grown by farmers in Virginia, Massachusetts and Connecticut during the early 1600s, and during the mid-1700s, California, a colony in Spain, and Mexico, were known for growing cannabis. The United States Pharmacopeia approved cannabis for treatment for a number of medical troubles from rabies to alcoholism, and to everything in between.

Prohibition

Cannabis was widely grown across the Americas for hundreds of years until the 1900s. The Mexican revolution in 1910 pushed an influx of immigrants to the southwestern United States. Mexico provided the perfect climate for cannabis growth, making it very popular among its people; thus, the influx of Mexican immigrants to the US also brought cannabis. This sparked fear among paper and cloth producers, as company owners were threatened by the possibility that Mexican immigrants could cultivate and use hemp to compete with their business. The wealthy owners produced anti-immigrant and anti-cannabis propagation, dubbing cannabis as an “evil weed”. This propagation would change how the world views cannabis still to this day.

Prohibition of cannabis kick started during the early 1900s, around the time anti-immigration culture was growing. Utah was the first state to outlaw the plant entirely in 1915 with 29 states following by 1931. An international drug conference in 1928 lead the UK and many other countries to create legislation against possession, use and cultivation of cannabis and hemp. By the 1930s, mass unemployment left Americans wanting to point fingers, which arguably sparked the mass anti-immigration culture, with traces still found in todays society.

By 1937, the federal “Marijuana Tax Act” criminalized possession in America, classifying cannabis under the Drug Enforcement Administration. The countries who didn’t follow the UK in 1928 quickly followed the US in criminalization. These laws didn’t stop people from experimenting with cannabis and other drugs, with the “flower power” era during the 1960s, cannabis and other recreational drug use soared. President Richard Nixon started the “War on Drugs” program during the 1970s, which classified cannabis as a Schedule 1 drug alongside heroin, LSD and ecstasy. The Drug Awareness Resistance Education (D.A.R.E) program in schools was designed to educated children about the dangers of drugs. These programs have been widely criticized for spreading misinformation and creating generations of North Americans who know little about safe drug use, while still using drugs recreationally and illegally.

Modern Legislation

The fear-based education and culture was prominent around the world until 1993 when the Netherlands legalized cannabis for medicinal purposes and decriminalized it for personal and recreational use. Since then, countries have slowly pulled back their prohibition laws due to cannabis’ many benefits. California legalized cannabis for patients with severe or chronic illness in 1996. In 2001, Portugal followed by becoming the first European country (and one of the first in the world) to decriminalize possession of cannabis and all other drugs. Possibly the biggest country to make such a drastic change was Canada in 2018, who allowed adults to use cannabis for recreational use, in addition to medicinal use, which was approved with a prescription years prior.

Cannabis has a long, deeply routed history. Within a short 50 years, thousands of years of spiritual, cultural and medicinal use of cannabis was erased. A false narrative created by a small group of powerful people led to harsh attitudes that are still very much present. To this day, there are many countries where possession of cannabis is highly illegal, and people have undergone harsh punishments for associating with cannabis. There are many countries in the works of legalization, but even more where legalization seems centuries away.

            All in all, cannabis legalization has proven to benefit those with medicinal needs, such as children with seizures, pain management, etc., and countries are hopeful the decriminalization of cannabis will reduce the use of black markets and potential overdoses or issues (i.e., mixing drugs with fentanyl, etc.).  

Prepared By: Haley Browne

Understanding your Certificate of Analysis (CoA): Interpretation of Results

 

When you access your Certificate of Analysis (CoA) from your Client Portal, you can expect to see a neat and concise certificate for your sample results.

Our laboratory information is presented at the top and bottom headers of the document, including our name, address, and license number.

Next you will notice your sample information, such as your sample name, matrix, sample reception date, and the analyses requested. You’ll also find your company name, address, and license number (if applicable).

Below this information you’ll find sample results. Each analysis is accompanied by the analysis date, instrument used for the method, as well as a method reference. For pesticide analyses, you’ll also find the last method validation dates.

Each analysis will have a list of analytes, followed by the results to the right of the analytes with appropriate units.

Analyses may have limits of detection (LOD) noted, which represent the lowest detection limit for our instrumentation. The “Limits” section represents acceptance criteria by Health Canada or License Holders. Some analyses may have associated limits, such as those strictly regulated by Health Canada, for example, Residual Solvents or Pesticides. The limits are those you must meet for your product to be sold in the recreational or medicinal markets. Other limits are not set and will be set by the License Holder based on internal procedures (following the USP, Ph. Eur., FDA, etc. as per Health Canada Guidelines).

For the cannabinoid result, our CoA includes results in both percentages and mg/g. Health Canada requires reporting in mg/g; however, percent remains an easier and more visually appealing result to glance at for clients. The total THC and total CBD represent the limits that Health Canada requires license holders to report on labels, accounting for the THC and CBD, as well as the acids (THCA and CBDA) that will convert to main cannabinoids when heated to be inhaled.

At the bottom of your CoA, you will find a statement confirming the authorization of results by the Laboratory Director.

For your information, there is also a legend to the bottom left of the CoA, defining terms you may observe throughout your completed CoA.

For any questions regarding your sample results, or how to interpret your results further, please do not hesitate to contact Nichole Taylor, our Lab Director, at ntaylor@perennia.ca, or 902-309-0583.

Posted by: Adele @ BloomLabs

Cannacopia – Key Concepts for Cannabis Success

 

Introducing the first official workshop hosted by the BloomLabs team! This presentation can be viewed on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbb-PNiTFpc. Please follow this link if you’re interested!  

Topics of discussion included the following:

Sarah discusses facility and product overview from Olli Brands Inc., a leader in cannabis edibles in Canada, who has tons of great and unique flavours to try! P.S. You may want to try their chocolate brownies or cookies! Sarah outlines new product development processes and how Olli can help you bring your ideas to life.

Mike, from Professional Cleaning Solutions, discussed cleaning in the industry. Sanitation is a key concept for any cannabis producer to mitigate any mould or mildew, including affecting the environment negatively. Mike chats about topics like training, health and safety, environmental impacts, Good Production Practices (in the Cannabis Regulations!), sanitation and environmental programs, and more!

Dr. Punja discusses the various pathogens in greenhouses, which can be compared to indoor growth as well. Diseases infect roots, foliage, as well as flower and are all important when growing cannabis, especially for disease management. Dr. Punja discusses the types of pathogens, as well as biological controls that can mitigate the diseases. If you have powdery mildew, moulds, root rot, etc., check out this presentation! Afterall, it is very common, cannabis is a live flower!

Ricardo, our Senior Microbiologist at BloomLabs, discusses the concerns with bacterial and mould contaminants. Ricardo walks through the types of bacteria and mould we test for at BloomLabs in cannabis. Cannabis can have some anti-microbial properties, but as it is for human consumption, producers must make sure it’s safe for human health. This presentation identifies contamination points during production and discusses services Bloom offers to help mitigate issues, such as air quality testing, environmental swabbing, etc.

Services from the BloomLabs Cannabis Accelerator Team, Talia and Chelsea, include production services, from seed to sale, including irrigation systems, substrate information, pest management practices, and more! We also offer cannabis edible product development, as well as shelf-life studies! We work with clients from start to finish to get their products to the market. BloomLabs can work with you, either on site or online, to grow your company and products

 

BloomLabs had a great time hosting this workshop and we plan to host more of these types of information sessions! We allowed for Q&A period which many viewers got to ask specific questions about products or requirements. Please keep an eye out for our next workshop (we’ll also be sending an email out to our current email list, so please reach out if you’d like to hear from us!)!

Workshop Alert - Cannacopia is Coming to A Screen Near You!

Introducing...Cannacopia! Perennia's First Ever Webinar Focused on all Things Cannabis!

 Join us for an afternoon of speakers focusing on Key Concepts for Cannabis Success. 

We have enlisted a team of experts to discuss facility sanitation, disease identification and management strategies, as well as hear first hand from about what it takes to start up a successful edible brand.  In addition, the Cannabis scientists at Perennia will be sharing information on most frequently asked questions when it comes to microbial contamination, as well as highlight the scope of services we offer - some even free of charge! Each session will be followed by a question period to help elaborate on anything you want to learn more about. The workshop will finish off with a panel discussion amongst our industry experts, with the opportunity for feedback from the audience as well. 

This free of charge workshop will take place on March 17th from 1-5 pm AST. For more information, or those looking to register, click here! 

The Importance of Water Activity and Cannabis

 How Water Activity Prevents Microbial Growth

There are specific measures for what we call water activity; another way of saying water activity is internal relative humidity. All those little air pockets inside of the cannabis flower will have a certain relative humidity, which is going to be the same as the water activity in the cannabis plant material itself. There are certain levels of water activity where microbes can grow, for example, the bacteria that we’re worried about grow above the 0.85 water activity level. There are yeasts and moulds that grow in the area between 0.65 and 0.85 water activity, where 0.65 is the accepted limit for mould growth in cannabis. 

Most of your moulds are not going to grow below 0.70 water activity, but some can grow down to 0.65 and there are a few others that can grow down to 0.60 water activity, but those are much less common and not really a concern in cannabis. Values below 0.65 water activity is considered the safe limit for cannabis flower. There are specific levels for water activity below which microbes cannot grow. It doesn’t matter how much water is in the cannabis or in any given product, but it’s a specific level of water activity that determines whether or not microbes can grow. 

Water Activity and Government Compliance

Because this issue with microbial growth is based on water activity, there are specific government compliance parameters for a variety of different products that need to be kept shelf stable. Cannabis is one of those, and there are standards set up in order to help people maintain compliance. One of the standards for cannabis is the ASTM D8196 for determining water activity in cannabis flower.

The Water Activity Sweet Spot for Cannabis

That space between 0.55 and 0.62 water activity tends to be the sweet spot where those moisture levels are just right. Anything above 0.65 you’re going to have potential for microbial growth, so, we really want to be below 0.65. A little bit lower than 0.65 is always helpful because you want to make sure that you’re not going to have issues, give yourself a little bit of leeway, but you also don’t want to be too dry.

If you get too low in water activity level, it causes oxidation of the trichomes, and you have a reaction that leads to loss of terpenes and cannabinoids. If you’re too high in water activity, then the challenge is that you’re going to have fungus growth, yeast growth, or other microbe growth, so maintaining that water activity is really important. 

Water Activity: Fast and Accurate to ±0.003

Something to look at when you’re looking at water activity is that water activity is temperature dependent; as a general rule, higher temperatures lead to higher water activity. For any given product, the change in water activity based on temperature is going to be consistent for specific products. Also, in cannabis, you’ll see that higher temperatures lead to increased rates of decarboxylation. That means we want to maintain a level of water activity or relative humidity in your cannabis flower, even when it ships for distribution and sale. So, if your product does experience higher temperatures, you may see higher water activities that may put you over the acceptable water activity limit, where you might see some microbial growth. 

Being able to protect that humidity level when product leaves your facility and before it’s consumed is important, and you’ll want to be aware and give yourself a little bit of extra leeway. Being closer to the 0.60 or 0.62 water activity level is probably better than being right at 0.65 water activity in case there are temperature fluctuations that the product experiences after it’s packaged.

If you’re looking at 60% relative humidity, that’s the same as saying 0.60 water activity. Relative humidity is expressed in a percent. Water activity doesn’t really have a unit, but we call it water activity or a_w. So, it’s the water activity that determines whether or not mold fungus or microbes can grow, and its water activity that determines quality, meaning chemical and physical reaction rates. 

At BloomLabs, we can get an accurate measurement to ± 0.003 a_w and a precision of 0.002 a_w, which is a very, very specific measurement! You can contact us at bloomlabs.ca to receive more information about our cannabis testing! 

To sum up, we want to dry the product to the right water activity level to hit the sweet spot so that we’re not over drying, causing quality loss and less sales profit, but also, we don’t want to under dry to enable mould and microbial growth!

Posted By: Jay Radadiya

Aseptic Sampling Technique

What is aseptic sampling?

Aseptic sampling refers to certain principles that must be followed during product sampling to avoid contamination or the introduction of a microorganism, or other contaminant, not originally present in the product by one’s actions.

Aseptic sampling is about managing the risk of contamination of the sample itself, as well as the process or container.

Why should I practice aseptic sampling?

Collection of samples while not practicing aseptic technique can lead to contamination of the sample – leading to inaccurate results, failed quality assessments and potential costs associated with re-testing product.

For example: A bacteria called Staphylococcus aureus is a common member of the body’s microbiota and is frequently found on the surface of the skin and in the upper respiratory tract. If aseptic technique is not used, such as proper operator hand washing/sanitation and protective equipment while collecting samples (including gloves), a cross-contamination of this microorganism can occur between the operator taking the sample and the product. This could lead to a detection of Staphylococcus aureus in the sample during quality analysis, leading to a failed quality assurance test. This could result in a re-test of that product and delays in releasing the product to market.

How do I practice aseptic sampling?

One of the most important rules when collecting aseptic samples is to avoid contaminating the sample. This requires the sample collectors to collect all samples with caution to make sure this rule is not violated. The results of aseptic sample analysis are questionable, and of no use, unless the integrity of the sample can be assured from collection to shipment, and through analysis. We will discuss below some basic methods to reduce the risk of sample contamination.

For quality control and traceability, when taking a sample be sure to record information such as:

• Who took the sample?
• Where and when was it collected?
• How was it taken?
• What training did the sampler receive?

This can assist in the investigation of any possible cross-contamination issues.

Personal equipment, such as lab coats, hair nets or disposable or cleanable boots, are important to ensure that the collector does not contaminate the sample. Additional essential items for aseptic sampling include:

•           Sterile containers – Ensure that your product is placed into a sterile container or bag, such as Whirl-Pak bags or Falcon tubes. The sampling container must not be opened and exposed to the environment prior to immediate collection of samples to avoid contamination.
•         Clean gloves - If a product must be touched during sample collection, have one of the facility workers who are involved with handling the product place the sample into the collection container with gloved hands. Because employees are normally involved in handling the product during production, we would not consider that they have added additional contamination to the product. When gloves are used, they must be put on in a manner that does not contaminate the glove. Gloves must be of the right size to function properly.
•       Sampling tools - Spoons, scoops, specific types of triers, forceps, tongs, dippers, and cups.  The type of tool used is determined by the product to be sampled; however, to reduce the risk of sample contamination it is recommended to use a new sterile sampling tool for each sample.

In addition, be sure to check the sterilization date on all sampling equipment and containers. The date should be on the label or package of the equipment. Some equipment might be sterilized in one’s local laboratory or purchased sterile. Equipment sterilized in a local laboratory is normally sterile for at least two months. After that time, the equipment should be re-sterilized.

Finally, after collection, ensure that the sample is packaged in a secure way to reduce the risk of damage or contamination of the sample while it is being transported to the lab for analysis.

At BloomLabs, we take thorough care to ensure that the samples we receive are always tested “as received”. Meticulous aseptic techniques and Standard Operating Procedures are used in the Microbiology Laboratory to ensure that no cross-contamination occurs during analysis. For example, this includes use of a Biological Safety Cabinet, proper sanitation of personnel and surfaces, and sterile sampling equipment and PPE to ensure that no contamination of the sample occurs during analysis. This ensures an accurate quality result, free of any contamination from the laboratory.

 

The use of aseptic technique at the production facility, during transportation and at the laboratory ensures your product receives the highest quality of analysis free of any contamination.

Introducing...Perennia Cannabis Services!

Perennia is an organization known across Nova Scotia for providing a variety of services in agriculture, quality and food safety, product development, lab services and fisheries. Within the lab services division sits Bloom Labs - a name you may be more familiar with.

Bloom labs is a Health Canada-licensed cannabis testing lab that provides mandated, luxury and custom analytical services. These are available to all growers including micro-producers, large facilities and recreational growers.

Until now, agriculture services were limited when it came to cannabis. With the introduction of a new staff member dedicated to Protected Crop (greenhouse, tunnel, indoor facilities etc.) production, there was an opportunity to expand our offerings in the world of cannabis - in comes Talia Plaskett!

Talia has spent the last 11 months diving into Nova Scotia horticulture. Through introductions to producers and tours of ornamental, berry, vegetable and cannabis facilities, she has a good understanding of the challenges and opportunities within the province when it comes to commercial production. While the challenges in cannabis are unique, there are many similarities that exist across other commodities, and drawing on that experience will be beneficial to cannabis producers of all sizes.

What do our agriculture services look like? It comes in a variety of forms.

•  Virtual correspondence regarding questions you have about your production system
•   Site tours to help set the stage for your growth
• Beneficial for identifying the cause of any issues you may be experiencing
• Creates an open dialogue between you and the production specialist
• Fact sheets and webinars
• Allows us to address industry-wide gaps in understanding, as identified through conversations with growers
•   Fee-for-Service Consultation
• These projects will vary from facility to facility. Feel free to reach out to discuss an issue that requires specialized and focused attention

Talia is not the only new addition to the cannabis service team - meet Chelsea Meisner! Working with our analytical team, Chelsea can help with all aspects of the product development process including large scale development, manufacturing of edible cannabis products and shelf-life evaluations.

During 2019 Chelsea had a key role in developing some of the top-selling cannabis edible products currently on the market in Canada. As a Food Scientist, Chelsea has over ten years of experience in product development, quality control and manufacturing. The cannabis industry is growing and constantly changing as many companies are developing edibles. There is a lot of innovation and science happening to help create the best products for consumers. We are all still learning the interesting and challenging world of cannabis, and through the Product Development services at Bloom Labs, Chelsea hopes to provide knowledge and support to the industry.

What do our product development services look like?

• Formula Development
• Prototype bench top development of uninfused and infused products
• Cannabis incorporation
•  Ingredient sourcing and costing of formulations
• Process development that can be scaled up to meet current processing capabilities or capabilities of a co-packer
• Child-resistant packaging sourcing
• Regulatory requirements
• Scale Up Assistance
• Shelf-Life Evaluations

Talia and Chelsea look forward to connecting with you and learning how they can help you and your operation succeed! If you have any questions about how Perennia can support you, don't hesitate to reach out