CBD and Cannabis Laboratory Analysis and Testing

Quality Control of CBD Oils, Creams, Capsules, and More

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CBD and Cannabis Laboratory Analysis and Testing

CBD is commonly administered in the form of CBD oil. Further CBD delivery routes include smoking or vaping; application as tinctures, gels, creams or patches; and edible products including capsules.

As the legal cannabis industry grows in importance, it is moving towards stricter regulation and standardized quality control. METTLER TOLEDO's extensive portfolio of analytical instruments and applications for the laboratory supports quality assurance (QA) development and quality control (QC) procedures in the production of cannabis commodities.

Our innovative laboratory and industrial solutions support various analytical steps in cannabis value chain from pH determination of soil to testing of raw materials to extract analysis to quality control of final CBD products.

 

 

From the Plant to the CBD Product

Cannabis Value Chain

Cultivation

Extraction

From the Extract to the CBD Product

Quality Control of Medical Cannabis

CBD Testing Application Video

Water Content

Moisture Content

Moisture Analyzer for CBD Analysis

Water and Moisture Content by Thermogravimetric Analysis

Density and Refractive Index in Cannabis Quality Control

Extract Analysis

Analysis of Solvents for Extraction

CBD Consumer Products

Quality Testing of Cannabis Oils by Titration

Peroxide Value

Free Fatty Acids

Iodine Value

Saponification Value

Water Content

pH Measurement of Soil for Cannabis Growth
Spectrophotometry in Cannabis Analytics
Accurate Weighing in Cannabis Testing

Pesticide Residue Testing

Heavy (Trace) Metal Analysis

Mycotoxin Screening

Cannabinoid Potency Analysis

Residual Solvents / Volatile Organic Compounds

Terpene Profiling

METTLER TOLEDO is the market leader in high-precision balances, drawing from decades of experience in the field. Excellence level analytical balances are suited perfectly for highly accurate weighing of samples, exact preparation of solutions and fast and efficient workflows.

Using the Excellence XPR analytical balance static detection and elimination system, conveniently eliminates errors caused by static charges. This allows easy weighing of samples as small as 6 mg with a readability as low as 2 mg in accordance with US Pharmacopeia.

Addition of a liquid dosing module to a METTLER TOLEDO balance allows delivery of solvents in a level of accuracy unmatched in manual processes. The dosing module enables faster, more accurate and more cost-effective standard solution preparation without the need for volumetric flasks.

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Understanding, Optimization and Control of Isolate Crystallization

Automated Reactors

EasyViewer

ParticleTrack

ReactRaman

ReactIR

iC Software

High Precision Pipettes in Cannabis Analytics
Efficient Data and Workflow Management for a CBD QC Lab

Instruments

Related Products and Solutions

Glossary

FAQ

1. Cannabis, cannabinoid, CBD, hemp, marijuana, extraction, isolate and more. What do these terms mean?

Consult our cannabis glossary to find out about cannabis terminology.

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2. Where are CBD cannabis products legal?

In many countries around the world CBD cannabis is legal. However, laws vary and are constantly changing. In certain countries, industrial cannabis used for making CBD products can only be grown by licensed producers. Laws also apply to manufacturers and retailers of CBD products. Consumers should learn about legality prior to the purchase or consumption of CBD or cannabis products by checking local regulations from appropriate official sources.

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3. What are the regulations regarding CBD product testing?

Since more countries are legalizing CBD cannabis, its use is becoming more and more widespread. While consumers want to be assured of safety and efficacy when consuming CBD products and other forms of medical cannabis, there is currently no "gold standard" for the analysis of cannabis products. However, the following sources offer some guidance:

  • American Herbal Pharmacopoeia (AHP): "Cannabis Inflorescence Monograph" (2014)
  • AOAC International: "Standard Method Performance Requirements for Quantitation of Cannabinoids in Dried Plant Materials" (2017)
  • FDA: "Regulation of Cannabis and Cannabis-Derived Products, Including Cannabidiol (CBD)" (2020)

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4. What is a certificate of analysis (COA) for cannabis or hemp CBD products?

Once a laboratory has completed tests on a cannabis sample, it details all the results in a certificate of analysis (COA). This will include the chemical make-up and potency of the cannabis sample as well as its safety, ascertained via tests such as those mentioned above. The COA can also be used to verify that the CBD product is advertised correctly. Any reputable CBD manufacturer will have their products tested by an accredited laboratory as a way of verifying product quality. Consumers should look out for confirmation that rigorous testing has been undertaken. 

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5. What are the rules regarding selling CBD products to consumers?

Consumers should learn about legality prior to the purchase or consumption of cannabis products by checking local regulations from appropriate official sources. Consumers should look for evidence on the product packaging that the cannabis product has been rigorously tested.

For direct sales of CBD and or other forms of medical cannabis products based on weight, retailers must use a balance certified as Legal for Trade. These balances are sealed at the manufacturer's site, and the seal provides proof that the workings of the balance have not been tampered with. The seal can only be removed and replaced by officials during balance calibration. METTLER TOLEDO's JET and JE balances are available as Legal for Trade instruments.

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6. How can I be sure that my balance meets the accuracy requirements of my CBD tests?

It is important to be aware of the performance of your balance in relation to your specific CBD applications. A specific balance may be suitable for one application but not for another. METTLER TOLEDO's Good Weighing Practice can help you determine if your balance is fit-for-purpose.

To ensure results are accurate, you must always be sure to weigh within a safe weighing range. The upper limit of this range is the balance capacity, and the maximum sample weight should never exceed it. The lower limit is determined through a combination of the balance minimum weight, your process tolerances and the application of a safety factor. The smallest weighed weight must not be less than the lower limit of the safe weighing range.

A balance's minimum weight can be determined at point of use by a service technician, and the safety factor applied varies according to application criticality. For more information on the safe weighing range, download the guide "Safe Weighing Range Ensures Accurate Results".

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7. How can CBD test data be handled more efficiently?

METTLER TOLEDO's proprietary laboratory software LabX™ offers comprehensive data management. LabX automatically saves all analytical results and takes care of all calculations. This saves you considerable time but further and eliminated error-prone manual results recording. All data is saved in a secure centralized database, ensuring traceability for CBD measurements. Results are easily accessible for analysis or transfer to other laboratory systems. It is possible to generate customized reports at any time. LabX offers centralized management of users, tasks, and the possibility to connect 30 METTLER TOLEDO instruments.

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8. What are the most common extraction techniques for cannabis products and how do they work?

The most common extraction techniques are CO2 extraction, hydrocarbon extraction and ethanol extraction.

CO2 extraction
In the CO2 extraction process, supercritical (sometimes subcritical) CO2 is used as solvent to extract the desired ingredients form the hemp. Since CO2 is a gas at atmospheric pressure and room temperature, it has to be pressurized and heated to become supercritical. Supercritical CO2 is able to dissolve cannabinoids and terpenes, but also chlorophylls, waxes and lipids from the hemp.
If the pressure is lowered after the extraction process, the CO2 separates from the extract, becomes gaseous again and can be reused for further extraction steps. The extracted oils and waxes are collected for further refinement.
Advantages: CO2 is cheap, easy to remove, non-toxic and environmentally friendly.
Disadvantages: High pressure (10 - 35 mPa) and expensive equipment needed. CO2 is a rather poor solvent for cannabinoids, as it has a long cycle time.

Hydrocarbon extraction
For hydrocarbon extraction, usually butane or propane are used. Since both of these substances are gases, they need to be handled with slight overpressure to liquefy them for extraction purposes. Especially when cooled down, hydrocarbons have a high selectivity for cannabinoids and terpenes. This technique is especially suitable for live resins, which are fresh or deep-frozen biomass that still contains all water.
Advantages: Less pressure needed (0.35 mPa – 1.0 mPa), cheaper equipment, higher yield, good terpene/cannabinoid profile, very selective for terpenes and cannabinoids, easy to remove (volatile).
Disadvantages: Disposal of solvents, solvents more toxic, pressure needed.

Ethanol extraction
For ethanol extraction, no additional pressure is needed. The biomass is simply extracted with ethanol. Equipment-wise, it is the easiest and cheapest extraction method for hemp. Since ethanol is not a gas at room temperature, it has to be actively removed after extraction.
Advantages: Safe, cheap equipment, non-toxic solvent, no pressure needed, less flammable than hydrocarbons, easy to scale up, no winterization needed.
Disadvantages: Polar, therefore not very selective in dissolving cannabinoids, as it also dissolves chlorophylls, lipids and waxes, which can be mitigated by cooling the ethanol to -40 °C, flammable.

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9. My extract is very viscous. How can I measure its density with a digital density meter?

Heating a sample increases its viscosity. METTLER TOLEDO offers heated autosamplers (SC1H/SC30H) that heat the sample as well as all tubing. This allows safe, precise and automated measurements of highly viscous samples and automatic cleaning after testing. The measured values can be compensated to room temperature.

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10. I reuse my solvent after the extraction process. How can I check solvent quality?

A clean solvent has a well-defined density and refractive index. METTLER TOLEDO has extensive experience in density and refractive index measurements and offers a variety of instruments that can help you make asses the quality of recovered solvents.

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11. Is there a difference between cannabis moisture content and water content?

Yes. The water content of a sample is defined by the number of water molecules in the sample. In contrast, the moisture content is usually measured by the "loss on drying" technique, meaning that it is not limited to water alone, but includes all volatiles in a sample.

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12. Can I get reliable results for water content with a moisture analyzer?

A moisture analyzer is usually based on "loss on drying" and measures evaporative weight loss caused by sample heating. These measurements include all volatiles in a sample, not just water. However, it is possible to reference moisture analyzer values to results of Karl Fischer titration. This allows fast, safe and precise water-content determination using a moisture analyzer.

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13. Does decarboxylation of cannabinoids upon heating influence moisture measurements?

Yes it does. Decaboxylation of cannabinoids upon heating results in the release of CO2. This has an influence on sample weight and therefore on the measured moisture content. This effect can be corrected for by referencing moisture analysis to Karl Fischer titration.

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Disclaimer

METTLER TOLEDO does not support, encourage, or promote the use of its products or services in connection with any illegal use, cultivation, or trade of psychoactive cannabis or psychoactive cannabis products. METTLER TOLEDO products are intended to be used only in compliance with all applicable laws in a manner that promotes public safety and/or in connection with scientific or medical research activities.