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Cannabis products Sample preparation for quality control and grinding prior to extraction of CBD oils

Quality control in lab scale: Terpenes, Potency testing, Heavy-metals, moulds, Bacteria, Cannabinoids, Pesticides

As the Cannabis industry continues to grow, laws and regulations continue to evolve in order to ensure that the quality of the product meets the standards for safety and labeling. In order to obtain reliable and accurate results, the sample must be prepared properly! Retsch, as the world leader in sample preparation, provides laboratory mills for size reduction and sample homogenization to ensure reliable analytical results. 

Testing labs and manufacturers also continue in their testing demands and requirements to report compliance, regardless of product matrix, as the testing of Cannabis products includes both flower and edibles. Due to the complexity of the various matrices, there are many challenges to overcome in preparing the sample adequately for analysis.

As a result of this demand, RETSCH is putting to use its full product portfolio to help process and prepare samples. Whether the samples are gummy bears, brownies, candies, or cannabis flower, RETSCH can provide assistance in selecting the ideal instrument to meet the application requirements.

RETSCH is a member of the research network Cannabis-Net

Small scale production - CBD oil extraction

The CBD oil extraction from cannabis flowers gains more and more interest globally to meet medical requirements. Typical extraction methods are via ethanol or supercritical CO2. In both cases, the sample material must be ground in order to increase the sample density in the extraction unit. Usually, sample sizes around 2-5 mm or around 1-2 mm are most suitable.

The Retsch Cutting Mill SM 300 316L meets the requirements for the sample processing prior to the extraction process, without any warming effects, so no loss of volatile ingredients and no sticking effects. Sample throughput higher than 40 kg/h is possible, and via the selection of the aperture sizes of the bottom sieves, the final fineness can be adapted to the user´s requirements. Thanks to the sophisticated design, the SM 300 316L is disassembled within seconds and can be cleaned very easily. 

The video on the right shows how easily dried cannabis flowers are ground as sample preparation for CBD oil extraction with the Retsch SM 300 is done. The mill achieves that with a throughput of over 40 kg / h and a fineness of 1-2 mm, other finenesses are also possible by selecting the bottom sieve) and without heating at 700 rpm. All parts in contact with the product are made of 316L stainless steel and offer quick and easy cleaning, thanks to particularly smooth surfaces.


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Grinding dried cannabis flowers with the SM 300 316L Stainless Steel

Application videos for quality control and small scale production


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Milling of whole cannabis flowers with the Ultra Centrifugal Mill ZM 200.


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Milling of various samples with the Knife Mill GM 200.


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Homogenization of cannabis in seconds with the GM 200.


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Homogenization of 8 samples of cannabis in 1 step with the MM400 mixer mill.


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Cryogenic grinding of dried cannabis flower buds with the ultra centrifugal mill ZM 300.


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Cryogenic grinding of small amounts of cannabis with the Cryomill.


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Cryogenic grinding of cannabis with the MM 500 Control Mixer Mill.

More information on the use of the mills, analysis results and tips and tricks can be found in our webinar recording "Cannabis Overview - From raw material to end products", which you can download after a short registration.

Request access to the webinar archive

Extraction Method THC / Cannabinoids Improved method, derived from Shimadzu protocol

1: Add 200 mg ground sample in a 50 ml falcon tube

2: Add 2 x 10 mm steel balls

3: Shake in Mill for 2 min at 25 hz

4: Add 20 ml Methanol in the tube

5: Shake in mill for 2 min at 25 hz

6: Wait for 15 min, go on with the extraction

Total time: 4 min mixing.
Only 20 ml methanol per sample required

MM 400 mixes automatically in falcon tubes at 25 hz

  • Shortens the process time (4 min instead of 60 min) and errors by different operators are avoided!

Suitable mills for quality control of cannabis samples

Knife Mill GRINDOMIX GM 200
Knife Mill GRINDOMIX GM 300
Cutting Mill SM 100
CryoMill
Mixer Mill MM 400
Mixer Mill MM 500 control
Ultra Centrifugal Mill ZM 300

Reviews from our customers

"The SM 300 delivers a perfect grinding result for medical cannabis flower buds and plants parts, which are used for the extraction of cannabinoids. The mill is easy to handle and to be cleaned. A high sample throughput with optimized particle size is achieved."

Prof. Dr. Simone Graeff-Hönninger
University of Hohenheim

"Quiet operation, cheap system: The MM 400 is reliable and easy to use."

Ing. Christian Fuczik
Institute for Hemp Analytics, Vienna

These results are exemplary, other finenesses can be achieved.

Many different Cannabis samples have already been processed the RETSCH application lab, so we can draw on a wealth of experience and give qualified recommendations to our customers.

Contact us for a free consultation and non-binding quote!

Cannabis Application Examples Some before and after pictures of typical Cannabis samples:

sweets
gummy bears
whole cannabis flowers

Quality Control of Cannabis: The Analytical Toolbox

All medicinal cannabis sold in Europe must be produced and tested according to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) to be suitable for storage and distribution along with Good Distribution Practices (GDP) certification. Shimadzu’s, CEM’s and RETSCH’s analytical toolbox, covering the full range of instrumental analysis and sample preparation systems, enables cannabis laboratories to work efficiently and in full compliance with international regulations.

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Sample Preparation of Cannabis

Grinding up to 32 g cannabis flower buds with minimum sample loss in 2 min: The Mixer Mill MM 400 can be used for a very quick homogenization method for Cannabis samples in disposable tubes. Up to eight samples can be processed at the same time. The sample loss is minimized, and the extraction results show less standard deviation than those of manually ground samples in a classic grinder.

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Contamination-free cutting of raw materials for the food and medical industries with the new SM 300 foodGrade

Raw materials for the food or pharma industry often require a size reduction process to minimize the particle size (tea, herbs, spices). The materials can be ready for consumption, like tea, or they are used for a second processing step, like extraction of valuable ingredients. A current example is CBD oil extraction from ground cannabis plants. For both – direct use or process step prior to extraction, the specific requirements of the food and medical industries must be considered when choosing a suitable size reduction tool. Aspects like smooth surfaces, easy cleaning, and available materials like stainless steel 316L to ensure contamination-free processing should be taken into account. Retsch has launched the new Cutting Mill SM 300 foodGrade for this type of applications and small-scale production of herbs and spices.

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