Testing CBD nano-emulsions
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Testing CBD nano-emulsions
Having difficulty getting accurate testing results for nano emulsified CBD products?
The issue might not be the product but with the lab testing it.
There are a number of reasons that this might be the case. Here we will discuss a few.
But first some context!
What is a nano emulsion and why is it important?
The technical definition is a fine dispersion of minute droplets of one liquid in another in which it is not soluble or miscible. In this case oil and water. Normally oil and water do not mix, but with a nano emulsion (particle sizes below 1 micron and into the nanometer territory) these non miscible liquids behave differently in the presence of an emulsifier.
Nanoemulsion technology has been used in the pharmaceutical industry for years as a delivery mechanism for AI (active ingredient) pharmaceuticals. Benefits include improved onset time, bioavailability, and the duration of the AI. Its recent application to CBD and other cannabinoids is relatively new and is now becoming increasingly relevant as it makes its way into consumer products.
Since this technology has been around for years, why the difficulty testing it?
Well there might be a couple of reasons
- The lab might not know what they are testing. If a lab does not know what ingredients are in the sample that makes it increasingly difficult to get an accurate reading. Be transparent with the lab and make sure you spill the beans about the product they are testing. Nano emulsions can be difficult to break apart.Some additional sample prep may be needed. Potency readings were seen to be 15-40% off from the expected target value.
- The lab might not possess the proper protocol to extract CBD from nanoemulsion based systems. If this is the case, method development may be needed in order to analyze your sample correctly. This can be very time consuming and costly. We spent 4 months and $10,000 trying to find laboratories that can properly test this type of sample matrix. Not every lab has a protocol for every sample type. There is inherent difficulty in testing any infused product. New products come out all the time.
A nano emulsion is one of several ways to make CBD oil water compatible.
Author: Luke Dickinson
Company: Realize
Contact: hi@realizeinside.com
Resources
- www.realizeinside.com
- www.Shoprealize.com
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