Beyond the Buzz: How Engineered Atmospheres are Revolutionizing Cannabis Preservation

Traditional cannabis preservation methods like glass jars or plastic bags fail to address the complex biochemical processes that lead to degradation. The primary factors that degrade flower quality are oxygen, moisture, and light. Oxygen causes desirable cannabinoids like THC to convert to less potent forms such as CBN, while excessive moisture can cause mold, and insufficient moisture can lead to a harsh smoke. New packaging solutions create a controlled microclimate to maintain an ideal relative humidity between 58% and 62% and manage gas exchange to prevent degradation. This technology benefits cultivators with greater product stability, processors with higher-quality starting material, and consumers who receive a consistent product.

Cannabis is undergoing major market transformations, moving beyond its counter-culture roots (while still recognizing and respecting them) to embracing sophisticated scientific and technological advancements as well as major market shifts and consolidations. As legality expands and consumer expectations rise, the focus shifts from mere availability to consistent quality, potency, and the preservation of the plant's intricate phytochemical profile which is the only way to achieve consistency for consumer experiences. At the heart of this evolution lies a critical challenge: maintaining the delicate interplay of terpenes and cannabinoids post-harvest. The vital compounds responsible for cannabis's distinct aromas, flavors, and therapeutic effects are highly susceptible to degradation, directly impacting product efficacy, consumer satisfaction, and cultivator’s bottom line. This article will explore how passive modified atmospheres not only extend shelf life, but fundamentally elevate the quality, consistency, and overall value of cannabis.

For decades, growers have used the usual suspects; glass jars, plastic bags, or vacuum sealing, each with their own inherent limitations. While these options offered some level of protection, they largely failed to address the complex biochemical processes that lead to degradation. The primary culprits in this chemical warfare against flower quality are oxygen, moisture, and light. Oxygen, in particular, initiates oxidative stress, converting desirable cannabinoids like tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) into less potent forms such as cannabinol (CBN), and causing the breakdown of volatile terpenes. Excessive moisture can obviously lead to mold and microbial growth, while insufficient moisture results in product weight loss, a harsh smoke, and a significant loss of aromatic compounds. Light, especially UV radiation, accelerates these degradation pathways even further.

The advent of packaging designed to create the ideal atmospheric conditions for cannabis marks a significant departure from old-school approaches. These solutions aren't merely inert barriers; they are engineered environments that maintain an optimal microclimate around the cannabis. The science behind this lies in controlling critical factors: relative humidity (RH) and gas exchange.

The Science of Controlled Humidity:
Striking the Balance

Humidity control is paramount in cannabis preservation. The ideal RH for cured cannabis flower is generally between 58% and 62%. Deviations from this narrow band can have detrimental effects. Too high, and the risk of mold and mildew skyrockets, leading to product spoilage and potential health hazards. Too low, and the cannabis dries out excessively, leading to a harsh smoking experience, brittle trichomes, and, most critically, the sublimation and evaporation of volatile terpenes. To boot, the lack of mass market understanding about the relationship between variables such as relative humidity, moisture content, and water activity levels can lead cultivators and consumers alike to attempt to 'fix' overdried flower by adding active modifiers or similar ineffective means of product modification post-harvest, which don't address the core issue. Using just one of those variables most often does not rectify the issue. As a result, mass market growers may still end up pushing out poorly dried and cured product.

Finding passive ways to regulate humidity is ultimately ideal, as the addition of active modifiers, like moisture packets, can have unforeseen consequences for VOC content and add costs to operations. Selecting packaging with the correct barrier properties —one that effectively using the bound water within the biomass as the only moisture source—eliminates the need for added steps or costs, and leaves VOCs undisturbed by external factors, thus allowing the full expression of the plant.

Gas Exchange

Beyond humidity, the control of gases within the package is equally critical. While a completely anaerobic environment might seem ideal to prevent oxidation, cannabis is a living plant material that undergoes subtle metabolic changes even post-harvest. A completely sealed, oxygen-deprived environment, or one that can’t effectively retain carbon dioxide, can lead to the build-up of undesirable byproducts and inhibit beneficial terpene development. The key is not to eliminate all gas exchange, but to manage it intelligently.

This is where material innovation comes into play. Specialized polymer films are engineered with a precise oxygen transmission rate (OTR) and carbon dioxide transmission rate (CO₂TR). They act as a semi-permeable membrane, allowing for a very slow, controlled exchange of gases.

Impact and Future Implications

The practical implications of these engineered atmospheres are numerous. For cultivators, it means greater confidence in the long-term stability and quality of their harvest. Using the right materials means the ability to store products for longer durations without fear of significant degradation, allowing for better inventory management and market timing. This also opens doors for cultivation on a larger scale, as the bottleneck of immediate distribution is eased. For processors, these technologies ensure that the starting material for extracts, edibles, and other products retains its maximum cannabinoid and terpenoid content, with higher yields and superior final products.

Ultimately, the biggest beneficiary is the consumer. They receive a product that consistently delivers the intended experience with the desired aroma, flavor, and physiological effects they want from start to finish. Consistency builds trust and brand loyalty in a burgeoning market where differentiation is key, and consistency of experience is still elusive.

Beyond current applications, the future of passively modified atmospheres in cannabis packaging holds even greater promise. Integration with smart packaging technologies, such as embedded sensors that monitor internal conditions and communicate data, could provide real-time insights into product integrity throughout the supply chain. This level of traceability and quality assurance will become increasingly important as the industry matures and moves towards stricter regulatory frameworks.

The quiet revolution of more purposeful packaging is a testament to the industry's openness to innovation and persistent focus on quality. By moving beyond a basic barrier function to embrace advanced material science and atmospheric control, we’re reframing a standard operational process as a truly effective post-harvest technology, without introducing more steps to the process. The buzz around cannabis may attract attention, but the preservation of its highest quality will define its lasting legacy for growers, brands, and consumers alike.

About the Author

Jack Grover is the founder and CEO of Grove Bags, a provider of cannabis packaging specifically tailored for the unique physiology of the plant to create the perfect climate for cannabis preservation. After graduating from Babson College, Jack was inspired by his brother Charlie’s battle with cerebral palsy to enter the cannabis industry and create packaging that preserves the plant at its highest quality. Fast forward from March 2016, the company, Grove Bags, continues its commitment to manufacturing its packaging solutions in the United States for the global cannabis market, and has gained industry-wide praise for its proprietary TerpLoc technology. Jack has been a featured speaker at numerous cannabis conferences all over the world where audiences gather to hear his insights on material science and plant biology. While serving as CEO, Jack has helped steer the business year in and year out with tremendous growth while the products become a household name in the industry having packaged millions of pounds of product and are present in nearly every cannabis market globally.

How to Cite this Article

Grover, J. Beyond the Buzz: How Engineered Atmospheres are Revolutionizing Cannabis Preservation, Cannabis Science and Technology, 8(4), 16-17.