Cultivators, processors, and extractors have long dedicated their time, effort, and ingenuity to maximizing phytocannabinoid levels in their harvests. Now, their attention is turning to terpenes.
Demand for cannabis rich in terpenes is rising as consumers learn more about how these compounds influence the total experience. However, terpenes are more sensitive and fragile than cannabinoids, requiring extra care to make it into the final product. Here, we’ll get into the nitty gritty of terpene preservation and cannabis terpene harvesting.
What is terpene preservation?
Preserving terpenes refers to the steps taken to retain as many terpenes as possible during the cannabis drying and curing process. Terpenes are the volatile compounds responsible for giving fruit, herbs, and plants – including cannabis – their unique flavor and scent profiles.
As terpenes are ultra-sensitive to heat and light, terpenes in cannabis and hemp are typically diminished after harvest. Terpene preservation alters these processes to ensure that as few terpenes are lost during the process as possible.
What is cannabis terpene harvesting?
Cannabis terpene harvesting is the process of separating pure cannabis terpenes from the plant. While terpenes can be extracted from many fruits, flowers, and herbs, there is growing interest in collecting the valuable terpenes often lost during the cannabis drying and curing process.
Consumer demand for terpenes has risen as researchers continue to uncover their purported benefits. As the market demand grows, there is a growing opportunity for extractors who can sell both cannabinoids and terpenes taken from the plant.
Why is it important to preserve cannabis terpenes?
Consumers want terpenes. These compounds – of which there are around 20,000 in nature, a fraction of which are found in cannabis — are playing an ever-growing role in the consumer educational experience. Researchers are exploring how terpenes may enhance and complement the effects of phytocannabinoids like THC and CBD, a theory called the entourage effect.
Many of the most frequent terpenes in cannabis are believed to shape the consumption experience. Customers who want to relax after a long day may reach for a myrcene-heavy strain or a cannabis product with this added terpene, while those seeking an uplifting boost may reach for a product that boasts high levels of limonene.
What do trichomes have to do with terpenes?
To talk about terpene preservation, we first need to talk about trichome preservation. Trichomes are the ultra-small structures that line the outside of your bud. When your cannabis or hemp flower looks “frosty” or like it’s glistening, that’s due to the trichomes.
Trichomes contain most of your flower’s phytocannabinoids and terpenes, and they are very fragile. When they fall off or break off cannabis or hemp flower, most of your flower’s potency, aroma, and flavor disappear right along with them. This is particularly challenging for freeze-dried cannabis or hemp flower, which can remove too much moisture and make the trichomes too brittle to make it to the dispensary shelf.
Additionally, terpenes are very sensitive to heat and light. Many naturally evaporate during the traditional cannabis drying process, even at room temperature, so preserving terpenes is a unique challenge for processors.
Flash-frozen cannabis and terpene preservation
When cannabis flower is frozen immediately after harvest, the flower isn’t subject to the temperatures that destabilize the terpene content. The right moisture content in flower also helps flower retain the terpene-rich trichomes on the plant. In fact, the flash-freezing process is exactly what gives the popular concentrate live resin its unmistakable flavor and aroma. These effects partially stem from live resin’s high terpene content compared to other cannabis products.
Freeze-drying is often chosen to protect terpenes due to its speed. This process freezes the plant material quickly, whereas traditional hang drying may take days or weeks. During this lengthy period, the plant remains exposed to air at non-freezing temperatures, potentially resulting in evaporation and contaminant growth. None of this is possible with freeze-drying.
Considerations for terpene extraction
When going through the extraction process, keeping the following factors in mind helps yield greater terpene content.
- How flash freezing works: You need the right equipment to make flash-freezing happen. The process involves stripping away your plants’ stock and fan leaves, storing nugs in moisture-resistant bags (ideally vacuum-sealed), and then immediately placing them in the freezer. Specialized machinery is key for making this process efficient and effective.
- Choosing the right extraction method: Ethanol, a common solvent for extraction, pulls out lots of plant material, and it may affect terpenes. By comparison, carbon dioxide extraction, hash washing, and cold pressing yield greater terpene levels. Using supercritical CO2 involves cold separation, as does hash washing, preventing terpenes from temperature damage. Cold pressing is a version of the two-plate rosin press with temperatures low enough to preserve terpenes.
- Mostly avoiding post-processing: Solventless extraction such as cold pressing often eliminates the need for post-processing, which can involve additional fat and lipid loss and thus terpene loss.
- Establishing ideal storage conditions: Airtight containers that block light exposure and maintain temperatures are necessary for successful terpene retention. Establish these conditions, and your terpene extracts can stay high-quality for at least six months — sometimes longer.
Do food freeze dryers preserve cannabis terpenes?
Although freeze-drying cannabis and hemp is an often-used technique, a traditional freeze-dryer is not built for drying cannabis. The biggest reason for this is how much moisture traditional freeze dryers remove from their products. While a 1% moisture content is great for the long-term preservation of bananas or beef, it can be too drying for cannabis and hemp flower. As a result, when a consumer goes to grind and smoke it, freeze-dried cannabis can literally turn to dust, ruining the flower’s potency.
It seems like contradicting priorities: Too much moisture is the enemy of a cannabis or hemp harvest, but too little moisture can ruin the smoking experience. The solution, then, is to find the right moisture levels to preserve the delicate terpene-rich trichomes in cannabis and hemp.
Terpene preservation at harvest vs. at home
Terpene preservation starts well before cannabis reaches the consumer, via flash-freezing and solventless extraction. Consumers, though, can take steps of their own to maximize their cannabis’ terpene content. Adding two-way humidity control packs to a jar of flower, as well as storing flower properly in a cool, dark, and dry place, goes a long way.
That said, consumers’ terpene preservation efforts mean little if their flower has poor terpene content in the first place. Cultivators and growers recognize that rapidly flash-freezing cannabis after harvest is more important than any step a consumer can take.
How Cryo Cure technologies preserve terpenes
Cryo Cure’s patented process brings moisture levels in cannabis and hemp flower down to its ideal levels. Instead of drying out flower to the point where trichomes break off, Cryo Cure eliminates just enough moisture to preserve the flower’s terpenes, aroma and flavor while ensuring that mold, mildew, and bud rot never have the chance to flourish.
Instead of hanging to dry for an average of 5 to 15 days in carefully controlled conditions, Cryo Cure’s dry time is 12 hours, following one hour in a -20°F freezer. This shortened timeframe literally does not give terpenes a chance to evaporate from the cannabis or hemp flower. The result is a fragrant, terpene-rich experience unmatched by any traditionally dried and cured cannabis or hemp flower. We’ve even discovered rare and never-before-seen pure cannabis terpenes in our flower.
Preserve terpenes easily with Cryo Cure
Cryo Cure makes terpene preservation and terpene extraction easier than they have ever been. Our process also stabilizes THC content and prevents it from degrading into CBN, known for the “couch lock” effect.
Explore how Cryo Cure can maximize the value of your yield! Learn more about Cryo Cure by exploring our FAQ page, and learn more about our offerings on our Models page. For more information, contact Cryo Cure or apply for financing.
