The CBG extraction process is almost the same as that of CBD. If you are into cannabis and have already explored CBD and THC, it’s time for you to foray into CBG. For most businesses, the first and foremost task is to assess the production process. If your extraction process is better, the end product will surely be better. Extraction is the most crucial part of any cannabis business. It defines how good your product could be. The extraction process involves various steps and most of them remain the same regardless of the type of cannabinoid you are extracting. In this article, we explain the best extraction method for CBG and how it can help you achieve maximum output in cannabis manufacturing.
Let’s dive in!
How CBG differs from CBD and THC
CBG is that new kid in the block where CBD and THC rule the roost. If you compare the markets of these individual cannabinoids, CBD will surely come on top. However, CBG, on the back of certain key therapeutic properties, is catching up fast. But, first, let’s understand CBG. CBG is one of the 100 cannabinoids in a tiny cannabis or hemp plant. Like CBD and THC, CBG has also exploded in popularity in recent years. Brands that are into cannabis have shown tremendous interest in this cannabis compound of late. Like CBD, CBG is also a panacea of many diseases and possesses many therapeutic properties. Researchers, as well as consumers, have shown a great deal of interest in it. Notably, it’s the extraction process that makes CBG-based products unique.
CBG and CBD and THC are all three different cannabinoids. They have different properties (they also have some common properties) and affect the psychological and physical systems in different ways. However, all three of them originate from their acidic forms. For example, before the birth of CBG, it’s in the form of CBGA, which is the acidic form of the chemical compound. Further breaking of CBGA due to heat and sunlight releases energy and CBG is left. The same is the case with CBD and THC, which break apart by minor cannabinoids into more diluted and high-quality ones. While THC can cause ‘high’ among users, CBD and CBG are non-harmful cannabinoids as they don’t cause intoxication. CBG, unlike CBD and THC, is an expensive compound to manufacture and, generally, it’s present in less than 1 percent of a cannabis flower
Role of CBG in the body
Just like its sister cannabinoids CBD or THC, CBG also interacts with the endocannabinoid system, also called ECS. The ECS is also a sort of cannabinoid that’s produced by our body. The external dose of cannabinoids in the form of CBG and ECS interacts with CB1 and CB2 receptors. These receptors are responsible for managing different bodily functions including mood, metabolism, appetite, and pain response.
Can you extract the CBG legally?
The CBG extraction process is definitely legal and the process is the same as that for CBD and THC. After the Farm Bill, 2018, was passed by the US government, hemp production was given legal status across the country. According to the laws, the CBG extraction process is fully legal if hemp does not contain more than 0.3 percent of THC in it. The rules are different across states of the United States, where over 30 states are at different stages of the legalization of cannabis. So, depending upon the state you live in, the laws around CBG extraction will vary. However, in countries like Canada, Mexico, and Uruguay, the extraction of cannabis or hemp strains is fully legal for both medical and recreational purposes.
How to manufacture CBG?
CBG extracts using CO2 as a solvent or via an ethanol extraction process. One can also use both methods to extract CBG. First, you have to soak CBG-rich biomass in a solvent like CO2 or ethanol. The mixture goes through various filtrations and is made to evaporate using heat and vacuum. In this process, most of the residual solvent is removed, leaving behind a CBG crude extract. The exposure of CBG crude to distillation leaves behind CBG. However, to purify it further, CBG has to go through affinity chromatography (a process of separating the mixture into isolated forms), which leads to the separation of other cannabinoids from CBG.
Equipment used in CBG extraction
Though there are different types of equipment in the market, which can be put to use as per your extraction method, some standard equipment is also in use in most of the extraction methods. First among them is the DC-40-Direct Chiller, with which you are safe from using ultra-low freezers. The CUP Series alcohol extraction system allows you to wash and dry biomass, removing up to 97 percent alcohol from it, thus saving time and providing maximum yield. You can also use FFE Series Evaporator, which maintains a high evaporation rate, which maximizes the crude oil yield. Then there’s RFD-27 or roller film distillation process, which refines targeted chemical compounds from the crude extract and delivers a clear distillate. One can also use high-output CO2 systems such as The Force and The Fleet, which are most commonly in use to extract CBG these days.
The biggest drawback of CBG manufacturing
CBG manufacturing is a highly expensive and costly thing to do! Those into the manufacturing CBG often call it “the Rolls Royce of cannabinoids”. Sample this: If you want to produce a tiny amount of CBG, you must process thousands of pounds of cannabis or hemp biomass. The major reason for such a low output of CBG is its tiny percentage in the plant. CBD, on the other hand, comprises around 20 percent of all the compounds found in a hemp plant. Apart from this, genetics can be a big hurdle in the production of enough quantities of cannabigerol. Due to the commercialization of CBD and THC, most hemp strains are bred to produce higher quantities of CBD and THC. Due to the limited cannabinoids production capacity, hemp can only produce a limited quantity of CBG.
