Regulatory Requirements for Testing Cannabis - What Do I Need to Know?

 You’ve grown some beautiful cannabis and now Health Canada requires you to test it to sell it in the market – here’s what you should know.

Analytical testing of cannabis is a regulatory requirement under the Health Canada Cannabis Act and Regulations but what does that mean?  How do you know what to test for?  How do you determine if your test results are acceptable, and your cannabis passes the test?  Great questions!

 

Under “Good Production Practices”, Part 5 of the Cannabis Regulations, sections 89 to 92 outline what testing is required to meet regulatory requirements:

•                Testing for phytocannabinoids; and
•          Testing for contaminants.

 So, essentially that means you need to test your cannabis for cannabinoid content and ensure it is free of pesky microbial and chemical contaminants.

 

Testing for phytocannabinoids, or cannabinoids, is to determine the cannabinoid content of your cannabis – the THC and CBD you hear so much about.  This includes a breakdown of the total cannabinoid content into individual cannabinoids (cannabinoid profiling) and how much of each cannabinoid is present (cannabinoid potency).

 

Testing for contaminants is broken down into microbial-type contaminants and chemical-type contaminants. 

1. Microbial testing determines the presence or absence of microbials such as E. coli and Salmonella spp. and the colony-forming units (cfu) of Total Combined Yeast and Moulds, Bile-tolerant Gram-negative Bacteria, and Total Aerobic Microbial Count.
2. Chemical contaminant testing determines the presence or absence and potency of potentially harmful heavy metals, such as Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead, and Mercury.  As well as the presence or absence and potency of harmful mycotoxins, such as Aflatoxins B₁, G₁, B₂ and G₂.  Other chemical contaminants include testing for residues of pest control products (also known as pesticides) meaning it is also necessary to determine whether pesticide active ingredients are present or absent, and if present, the concentration of the pesticide active ingredient.

Seems so simple, right?  Unfortunately not all things are as easy as they seem. “Cannabis Product”, Part 6 of the Cannabis Regulations, section 93 outlines how to determine if your results are passable:

 

• Microbial and chemical contaminant limits are acceptable so long as it meets limits accepted by one of the authorized publications outlining these limits as referred to in Schedule B of the Food and Drug Act.  This list of publications includes the European Pharmacopeia and the US Pharmacopeia, for example.  The task of choosing an acceptable publication to follow for limits can be a bit daunting, as you also must keep in mind the intended use (for example, inhalation) for your cannabis product.
• When it comes to pesticides, Health Canada has established their own limits for residues as identified and described under the Pest Control Products Act.  A comprehensive list of 96 pesticides and the limit for each can be found in the Health Canada guidance document “Mandatory Cannabis Testing for Pesticide Active Ingredients”.  The Cannabis Regulations also states that the more stringent limit applies to generally accepted tolerance limits in relation to residues of pest control products.  Which further breakdown to any pesticide result that exceeds an acceptable residue limit must be reported to Health Canada.

While testing your cannabis may seem very complex, it is a necessary chore to ensure regulatory requirements are met. Our experts at BloomLabs are well versed in the necessary regulatory testing, as well as the interpretation of the test results, so don't hesitate to reach out and inquire about all that we have to offer!

Posted by: Michelle Shearer

Cannabis Infused Gummy Testing Now at Bloom Labs!

The Bloom Labs team is committed to growing with the industry and the challenges that come with it. Most recently, the analytical team has developed and validated methods for analyzing potency and microbial contaminants in cannabis infused gummies. 

Our analytical chemistry team worked diligently to profile ten different cannabinoids, including THCA, CBDA, CBGA, Delta-9-THC, Delta-8-THC, THCV, CBD, CBG, CBN, and CBC with a detection limit of 0.13 mg/g. Our microbiology team can now confidently analyze gummies to enumerate aerobic microorganisms, bile-tolerant Gram-negative bacteria, yeast & moulds, and detected pathogens such as E. coli and Salmonella species. In addition, our team validated methods to detect Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus, as they pertain to common food-borne and food-manufacturing pathogens.

We are excited to offer this service, and better help our clients by expanding the matrices validated for analytical testing. If you would like to submit your cannabis infused gummies for analytical testing or shelf life studies, please visit our website www.bloomlabs.ca or contact Lab Director Nichole Taylor (ntaylor@perennia.ca) to submit a Chain of Custody form. If you have a different cannabis matrix and are curious about what kind of tests we offer, please visit https://bloomlabs.ca/analyticaltesting/ to find out!

Posted by: Ceilidh MacDonald and Ricardo Blanco Sanchez

BloomLabs wins Three Emerald Scientific Proficiency Awards for Microbiological Analysis of Cannabis!

The analytical testing team of BloomLabs at Perennia has participated for the first time in blind proficiency tests from Emerald Scientific. Emerald Scientific is the leader in cannabis science and cannabis proficiency tests. These tests arrive in the lab and the analysts have no idea the content of them, including which are contaminated. We then submit our results online and wait to see if we have submitted accurate results.

We participated this fall in all microbiological tests that are required by Health Canada for testing in cannabis.

Well, you know the end of the story now – and we have three fancy new proficiency badges to show for it!!

Posted By: Nichole Taylor 

Submitting Samples: Sample Sizes & Chain of Custody (CoC)

While there has been a significant skew towards production advice on this blog so far, the other members of Perennia's cannabis team are going to be adding some dimension to the information that is presented here. The most well-established portion of the team is Bloom Labs. Bloom is a full-service analytical testing lab that is well versed with the requirements for compliance under Health Canada's Cannabis act. They have the skills and knowledge required to perform the mandatory testing on dried flowers and oils. For more information on their services, please check out our website. 

For now, lets review some of the important things to consider for sample submission to Bloom labs.

Sample Size Requirements

When sampling product to submit to Bloom labs for analytical testing, please keep in mind our minimum sample size requirements per matrix:

Sample Analyses Requested	Dried Flower	Extracts
Microbiology – Full Testing	25 – 30 g	30 mL
Microbiology – No Salmonella	11 g	15 mL
Heavy Metals	1 g	1 mL
Aflatoxins	2 g	2 mL
Pesticides	2 g	2 mL
Loss on Drying/Moisture	2 g	N/A
Cannabinoids	5 g	1 mL
Terpenes	5 g	1 mL
Residual Solvents	N/A	1 mL
Foreign Matter	3 g	3 mL
Density	N/A	3 mL

For Full Compliance Testing Packages, we require a sample size of 50 grams or milliliters. Personalized testing packages are also an option, so be sure to reach out for more information on this!

Sample Submission

The process for submitting samples is quite simple. When you decide you want to use BloomLabs by Perennia for your third-party laboratory testing facility, randomly sample your product based on your internal standard operating procedure, seal the bag or container, and ensure the shipping container or box is secured for shipping or delivery.

Next, access our Chain of Custody (CoC) Form from our website or request one from our Lab Director by email (ntaylor@perennia.ca).

Complete the CoC form with your contact information (#1), sample names (#2), matrices (#3), sample mass (#4), tests you want (check boxes for analyses, #5), and sign and date the bottom to release your samples to us (#6).

We recommend you email us with a copy of the CoC in order to prepare for the receipt of your sample; this allows us to prepare and organize our analyses accordingly to provide you with results as soon as possible! We also require a copy of the CoC with the samples upon arrival to complete the documentation process.

You may choose to drop off your samples at our lab in Bible Hill or use a courier service to ship your samples. If you choose to drop off your samples, we are available for sample reception between 8 AM and 4 PM, Monday through Friday.

After we receive your samples, we will enter them in our online system, called our Client Portal, which will give you access to real-time information about your samples, as well as sample results.

For help differentiating between analysis types and your requirements, please do not hesitate to contact us:

Nichole Taylor, ntaylor@perennia.ca, 902-309-0583

https://bloomlabs.ca/contact-us/

Getting Into the Weeds: Farming in a Humid Year

Every year, Perennia's Horticulture Team sits down to discuss what major issues, questions and themes came up throughout the growing season. While there are differences between the crops grown here, we are typically able to identify pain points that are applicable to all producers. Last year, with the unexpected hot weather and lack of rainfall, we decided to tackle the basics surrounding irrigation. We wanted to make sure that everyone was on the same page on how to design and implement an irrigation system, for both soil and substrate based systems. For those of you who missed it, or are interested in a refresher...you can find all of these sessions here.

So what were the major challenges of 2021 you ask? 

Most producers can agree that there was significantly more rainfall and a higher humidity measured throughout the growing season than what we would typically experience. So, with that, enter our theme for the upcoming 'Getting Into the Weeds' Webinar series...Farming in a Humid Year!

November 23 - Understanding the Infection Cycle: Targeting Effective Disease Management

November 30 - Year in Review: A Disease Summary of 2021 - What Did We Learn?

January 12 - The Fundamentals of Fungicides

February 3 - Why Herbicides Fail: Targeting Effective Herbicide Application

If you are interested in learning more and/or registering for these free webinars, check out our list of upcoming online sessions. 

Posted by: Talia Plaskett

What's New with Biological Control?

 2021 has seen a lot of new and exciting things in the world of IPM with some of the tools available to producers for managing pest populations. Please find a quick summary of some of these new developments below with their corresponding contact information – this is a list of curated material from various sources, credit must be given where credit is due!

1)Introducing Anystis, the new generalist predator in our toolbox

 Anystis is a new generalist predator which was discovered and trialed by Vineland Research and Innovation Centre. This predator has shown control over thrips and spider mites as well as suppression of aphid populations. Not only that, but it also preys on Echinothrips and mealybugs, which currently do not have effective options when it comes to biological control agents! Not only that, but Anystis is compatible with other commonly used biocontrol agents, meaning less stress about adjusting your current regimes and more success overall when it comes to targeting your problematic pests. 

The use of Anystis has been validated in commercial greenhouse trials on gerbera and sweet pepper in Ontario, and further supported by promising results generated through recent trials at Niagara College for use in cannabis to control aphids. The predator has been transferred to Applied Bio-nomics Ltd for scaling up the rearing system and commercialization, and have a limited number of mites available for growers to try.

For more information on Anystis, contact Rose Buitenhuis, PhD Senior Research Scientist, Biological Control at Vineland Research.

 

2)Slow-release method of nematodes

The current application of beneficial nematodes is limited to sprenches, or drenches, across the surface of the growing media. The biggest targets for beneficial nematodes are the larvae of fungus gnats and western flower thrips, as well as onion thrips pupae. While the product is quite effective, the current application method to the crop sees a few technical difficulties. These drenches/sprenches are not the most effective when it comes to penetrating deeper into the growing mix, and they must be applied on a weekly basis. Not only that, but the current methods of distribution sees a very poor storage capacity – all must be distributed at once, which leaves the small producers in a bit of a financial pinch!

E-Nema is a new tech company based in Germany. They have come out with a slow-release method for these beneficial nematodes which tackles some of the difficulties associated with the existing system. These look similar to tapioca pearls, and are designed to be incorporated into the growing mix before planting. Then, over time, they will slowly release nematodes through the entirety of your growing container. These pearls are very safe, and do not contain any harmful chemicals. In addition to that, they store quite well, which is a win for smaller producers who may not need massive volumes to be distributed all at once. The reintroduction and inoculation of low doses of nematodes has proven to be more effective than coming in hot and heavy with one dose during the cycle, and this technology allows just that! 

BioBee will be the distributer for this new product, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled for that! I want to give a huge shoutout to the Cannabis Cultivation & Science Podcast for keeping up with the biocontrol world and spreading the word on cool innovations like this one!

3)New rearing methodology for Phytoseiulus persimilus

Our old reliable predatory mite is coming at us new and improved! BioBee has re-evaluated their current rearing methods for persimilis and has landed on a product that addresses some of the downfalls to the original release system. The original system sees that the predators are reared on spider mites, meaning they come out of their sachets starved and ready to tackle some serious spider mites. While that works well in heavily infested crops, it doesn’t bode well for the low pest pressure grow room, or the preventative release strategy either. This new product raises the predators on mite eggs, meaning that each sachet will come with a variety of life stages, and each sachet will have a long-life span overall as these different stages progress towards adulthood. These sachets can see up to 12 days to release the contents, giving you almost 2 weeks of release from one purchase. The new food source sees that these mites are not as hungry as they would be when raised on spider mites. This means they have time to establish in the crop, as well as hunt down those low density mites that are scattered through the room. Not only that, but there is no carrier mixed in with these predators. This is a huge win for producers of heavily-trichomed crops, as their plants will no longer be littered with pesky lingering carrier bits.

Figure 1. An image of persimilis predating on a two-spotted spider mite. Photo credit: Biotactics Inc. 

This new persimilis can also be purchased in bottle form. But grower be warned! It was interestingly noted that these predators are not their characteristic red colour when you receive them from the insectary. That colour develops on the persimilis as they start feeding on spider mites. This acts as an added bonus when it comes to your scouting efforts. If you note which predators have transitioned from milky to red, you can get a sense of the pest pressure in the space and how effective your release was at managing the spider mite population.

I want to give a huge shoutout to the Cannabis Cultivation & Science Podcast for keeping up with the biocontrol world and spreading the word on cool innovations like this one!

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Posted by: Talia Plaskett

Making the Most of your IPM Programs

    You found out that you have an insect infestation in your crop, and identified the causal agent. What comes next in deciding how to handle it?

1.       You need to consider the life stage of the target pest. Biological controls are skilled at targeting pests, but this can be restricted to certain stages of the life cycle. Those that are specialized at targeting larvae are not going to be able to knock back a population that is mostly comprised of eggs or adults. While interruption of the life cycle is important for combatting pest outbreaks, you won't necessarily limit the feeding damage that is to come as a result of the current population. 
2.       The life stage of the pest is not the only thing to consider. If you are relying on insects to control your pest population, you need to consider the life stage of the biological you are wanting to use. Releasing eggs compared to releasing larvae can result in different levels of control, establishment and active period in the crop. 
3.       Life stage, life stage, life stage! Where is the crop at in terms of its production cycle? Some biologicals are best applied in the early stages compared to the later ones. For example, releasing an agent that is going to lay eggs that hatch and congregate around the flowers is going to render your product unusable. 
4.       What are the growing conditions in the production space? Similar to plants, diseases and insect pests, biological interventions are going to have an optimum set of conditions to maximize performance. This is especially important when you are growing at lower/higher temperatures and abnormal humidity levels. Some biologicals are going to operate better at lower temperatures ( ex. 10C) compared to others, and you don't want to waste your time repeat testing an agent that is not going to thrive in that particular setting.

      Now that we have decided which biological control agents we want to use, there are a few other things to keep in mind. 

1.       How healthy are the predators that I've ordered? It is important to check the viability of your biological control agents upon receiving them from the insectary. There can be issues with rearing, storage/shipping etc, which can result in sub-optimal pest management. By implementing these health checks before releasing into the crop, you can ensure that you are getting the best quality product and setting your IPM program up for success
2.       It is ideal that you are always releasing fresh biological agents. By storing them for long periods of thime, you are running the risk that they will parasitize each other in their storage container. You could also be reducing the activity of the agents, and will need to spend more money in the long run. By purchasing the amount that you will release each time around, you are one step closer to maximizing the effectiveness of your agent. 
3.       Are the agents I've ordered compatible with each other? While it is likely that you will get some overlap of introduced biological control agents targeting each other, you want to make sure that is not the norm
4.       Are the agents I've ordered compatible with the spray activities happening in the grow room? Oil sprays that are used to suppress insects and disease are not always selective when it comes to drowning out pests.

   Maximizing success and implementing a successful IPM strategy can be a long process, but  taking these things into consideration should help get things started. Preventative pest management strategies are crucial in creating and maintaining a healthy and productive grow space, and there is no time like the present to dive in and re-evaluate your current strategy! 

      Posted by: Talia Plaskett

Cannabis Research License Announcement

We are pleased to announce that we recently obtained out research license for cannabis edibles and drinkable. Through the following services and working with our analytical team we can help you with your cannabis edible journey.

Product Development

Whether you’re looking to get a new product to market or perfect an existing one, our skilled and integrated team can help you achieve high-quality results with a competitive edge.

Ensuring Potency

In conjunction with the analytical team, we can help with your formulation to achieve accurate potency and homogenous product. Testing can then be completed to determine how potency will be maintained over time, making sure it is still with in the specific cannabis regulations.

Scale up

You’ve developed a product that you’re proud of, and now it’s time to dive into the most crucial step in the commercialization process: scale up. Our experts can set you on the path to expanded opportunities for revenue growth

Shelf-Life Evaluation

Determining the shelf life of your product is an integral step in getting your product to market. Our team has the know-how and equipment to make it happen, like our stability chambers used to conduct trials in various conditions

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For more information and how to contact us please visit out our website - https://bloomlabs.ca/