How does winterization contribute to the end product’s improvement?
Winterization is an additional step that is used to ensure a more consistent and pure product.
Winterization is frequently a necessary step prior to post-processing processes such as distillation in order to provide a high-quality initial input that allows for a higher concentration of THC or CBD to be extracted. Winterization is generally used to enhance the purity, appearance, and salability of the end product.
How does the winterization process function in the extraction of cannabis and hemp?
When the extraction procedure is complete, a substance like peanut butter is left behind. It remains thick due to the presence of fats, waxes, lipids, and chlorophyll. To begin the winterization process, the extracted material is homogenized using ethanol or another solvent. This new solution is less viscous and more manipulable.
Winterization is a technique that requires extremely frigid temperatures – hence the apt name. Although the ethanol will not freeze at these temperatures, the low temperatures will precipitate out the undesirables. While the cannabis extract remains homogeneous in the ethanol, the fats, waxes, and lipids clump together.
A critical phase in the winterization process is maintaining temperatures below -20°C.
After a period of time, the undesired compounds will precipitate out of the solution, and the product can be filtered to remove any remaining undesirable compounds.
For small quantities, this process can be completed by freezing the extracted material for 24–48 hours, at which point clumps of the necessary fats, waxes, and lipids will be seen distributed throughout the desirable material. The following step is to filter out these chemicals. A thorough filtration process guarantees that all of these contaminants are captured and eliminated.
Following that, the mixture must be decarboxylated to activate the cannabinoids and the ethanol must be removed. After that, you’ll have a finished product that’s ready to sell or process into distillate.
There are numerous cooling and filtration devices available for the winterization process. Something important to bear in mind when looking for equipment is if there are openings in the process, the substance can heat up. This makes separation and filtering much more difficult and can degrade the final product’s quality.
Winterization success requires the removal of fats, waxes, and lipids and the production of a clear, pure end oil suitable for sale or further processing. Houdini Lab Turnkey Winterization systems are fully automated, closed loop systems that generate the finest grade oil.
Contact us immediately. We would be delighted to speak with you about how our engineers can assist you in immediately increasing the quality of your product.