Infusion: the technology behind the future of the cannabis market
Infusion technology seeks solutions to incorporate cannabis into everyday life, and after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the use of CBD oil safe, a wide range of companies have emerged bringing products with cannabis in their composition
Sechat Content, by Taysa Daudt de Souza
Chemically speaking, infusion is a process for making beverages, generally by immersing an aromatic substance in cold, hot, or boiling water, but when it comes to cannabis, things are not so simple.
Infusion technology seeks solutions to incorporate cannabis into everyday life, and after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the use of CBD oil safe, a wide range of companies have emerged bringing products with cannabis in their composition. However, it is necessary to consider some factors to ensure the product's quality, consumption safety, the origin of the raw material used, and to ensure that it actually contains the indicated dosage of cannabinoids on the label and that the consumer receives the product they are paying for, which usually has a high market value.
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While on one hand, when it comes to dried flowers, it becomes complex to predict the amount of each cannabinoid being ingested due to several factors, first, because the focus of the brands that commercialize this product is mainly on dosing and informing only the quantities of CBD/THC and the most well-known active ingredients, second, due to the high variety of existing strains, and the cultivation method, which is very particular to each grower, factors such as time, light exposure, among others, are closely linked to the final result of the raw material quality, such as the concentration of each cannabinoid, and these raw products are not always tested to ensure they do not contain contaminants and potentially toxic substances such as metals, for example, and third, the responsibility is passed on to the patient to fractionate the appropriate dose.
On the other hand, infused products can solve all these issues by providing certified products to the end consumer, with usage instructions and precise dosages, ensuring correct usage according to prescriptions for each case, capable of specifying exactly what components are in their formula and the quantity. It is worth mentioning the Entourage effect; however, it is important to note that all potentially therapeutic substances, including terpenes after being isolated and quantified, can be added to the emulsion free of potentially toxic components that would compromise the quality of the treatment.
Emulsions are tested and dosed through complex laboratory procedures and specific equipment; in other words, their consumption is safe and contributes to the construction of a mass production market, which would result in treatment accessibility, products with much lower prices, more enjoyable consumption, discreet, without carrying stigmas like the vaporization process, and their presentation is friendly, as they are products already known to the consumer, ranging from beverages to cosmetic products in a market where the sky is the limit.
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We cannot talk about infusion without mentioning emulsion. In the context of cannabis, to produce an infused product, the production of an emulsion is necessary because cannabinoids are hydrophobic, meaning they are highly soluble in oil but not in water. Infusing them raw into products such as beverages, creams, ointments, among other hydrophilic products would result in an unstable product and an inconsistent user experience.
Emulsions are thermodynamically unstable, which means they do not form spontaneously; it is necessary to provide physical energy to form them. The process consists of breaking the substance to be emulsified into nano or micro droplets; this process can be carried out through agitation, homogenizers, or spray processes, turning them into a stable mixture between two immiscible liquids (liquids that do not mix). Their stability is achieved by dispersing droplets of one liquid (called the dispersed phase), which in this context would be cannabis oil, in another liquid (called the continuous phase). The emulsion is stable when it persists without changes for long periods of time - without the dispersed phase droplets coalescing (joining), floating, aggregating, or settling.
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The stability of emulsions is regulated by interfacial forces, the size of the dispersed phase droplets, the viscous properties of the continuous phase, and the difference in density between both phases. The surface effects depend on the properties of the substances that make up the two phases, and even if an emulsifying/surfactant agent is added, which is absorbed at the interface and prevents droplet coalescence, the surface electrical charges also contribute to preventing droplets from joining. Through this process, it becomes possible to infuse cannabis into a water base, giving rise to a variety of stable and consistent infused products.
The size of the droplets is essential not only for their perfect dispersion but also to help in passing through the body's cells. Properly encapsulated through another advanced chemical process, they are protected from degradation in the ingestion process as well as from first-pass metabolism in the liver, reaching the bloodstream more quickly, ensuring one of the highest degrees of bioavailability. The appropriate dosage depends on essential factors such as the potency of the medication/product, the expected effect, the route of administration, age, diet, and physical condition.
Each consumer/patient reacts differently to different dosages; it is recommended to start treatment using low doses at moderate potencies and evaluate if the effects are as expected, adjusting the dose if necessary, always accompanied by a qualified professional for prescription to ensure the correct interaction with the endocannabinoid system and its benefits to the patient. It is worth noting that there are still significant challenges in the infusion market, mainly related to the preservation/protection of infused substances, ensuring that the customer is actually getting the amount of cannabinoids they are paying for, and flavors that do not match those described on the packaging, or lack harmony, more common among beverages, giving rise to unpalatable products.
The fact is that we are all eagerly awaiting these promising solutions that have enormous potential to revolutionize the global cannabis market, and The Dogon’s, a startup accelerated by The Green Hub, has solved all these challenges and translated them into innovative products that will soon be available on the market.
Text by Taysa Daudt de Souza, CEO and founder of The Dogon’s, a startup accelerated by The Green Hub.