Leading extraction scientists and researchers from the cannabis industry-John A. MacKay, Synergistic Technologies Associates and Brian C. Smith, Big Sur Scientific-participate in this round-table discussion series on extraction. This month they offer advice on how to get started for people that are new to cannabis extraction.
Leading extraction scientists and researchers from the cannabis industry-John A. MacKay, Synergistic Technologies Associates and Brian C. Smith, Big Sur Scientific-participate in this round-table discussion series on extraction. This month they offer advice on how to get started for people that are new to cannabis extraction.
For people that are new to cannabis extraction, what is the best piece of advice you can offer to get them started?John A. MacKay: The BEST piece of advice is:
Botanical integrity first.
Extraction efficacy, efficiency, economics without emotions, egos, and eccentricity.
Safety for all involved in all phases.
Testing in-house with modern technology. Good is not a number.
Brian Smith: You have to perform in-house testing to optimize extraction efficiency. My own work has shown that extractors leave behind significant amounts of THC in plant material, in the filtrate from winterization, and in terpene distillation fractions. Optimizing and monitoring your extraction process can improve yields by 20% or more. Over time as the supply of cannabis oil increases and the price inevitably goes own, only the most efficient extractors will stay in business.
Look for part IV of "Ask the Experts: Extraction" in our December 2019 newsletter. Part III of our series on cultivation will appear in October and Part IV of the series on analytical methods/cannabis testing will appear in November.
