Naturally present in hemp, theCBD molecule can be extracted from the plant using various methods. Each extraction technique has a direct or indirect impact on the quality and purity of the extracted CBD molecule. What are the methods for extracting CBD?
In the rest of this article, you'll learn about the two most commonly used CBD extraction techniques.
Solvent extraction
Solvent extraction involves placing a substance in a liquid to extract one or more components from it. This technique is the simplest and least expensive. In fact, it does not require any special equipment. Depending on the molecule you are trying to extract, you can use different solvents. Water, oil, or various chemical solvents can be used for this purpose.
Chemical solvents such as alcohol are most commonly used to extract CBD. However, although these solvents are effective at extracting cannabinoids, they can leave traces in the extracted CBD. It is impossible to completely remove these residues, which may end up in infinitesimal quantities in the final product.
As a result, solvent extraction yields cannabidiol in a range of quality grades. Furthermore, solvent extraction alters other substances naturally present in the plant. These include terpenes and other cannabinoids that can enhance the quality of the CBD obtained. It should therefore be noted that this extraction method does not preserve the entourage effect or the natural interactions that exist between the various cannabinoids contained in the hemp plant.
Supercritical CO2 Extraction
More technical than solvent extraction, supercritical CO2 extraction is the most widely used method for extracting CBD. It requires advanced technology and sophisticated equipment.
This extraction method is more precise and has the advantage of being the safest, since it does not require the use of chemicals that could be toxic. As a result, this method produces very high-quality CBD. That is why the CBD products at the High Society store are produced using the supercritical CO2 extraction method.
As the name suggests, the supercritical CO2 extraction method requires carbon dioxide in a supercritical state. The carbon dioxide must be subjected to very high pressure and maintained at the boundary between the liquid and gaseous states. The extraction temperature may vary depending on the technique used.
Of course, this variation in temperature will affect the quality of the CBD obtained. It is therefore important to find the right balance when it comes to temperature. In fact, a temperature that is too high risks having the same consequences as solvent extraction, such as the degradation of other substances naturally present in the hemp plant.
On the other hand, when the temperature is low or moderate, supercritical CO2 extraction allows for the extraction of all the cannabinoids present in the plant. It makes it possible to preserve the much-sought-after entourage effect during extraction. As a result, this extraction technique yields CBD along with all of the plant’s cannabinoids: this is known as full-spectrum CBD.
Now you know how to extract CBD from the hemp plant. It’s a delicate process that specialists perform every day. So, choose High Society if you want to enjoy all the benefits of CBD in a high-quality product.
