As the cannabis industry grows and evolves, so does the understanding and appreciation of its complex components, including terpenes. Terpenes are aromatic compounds in cannabis that contribute to its distinctive smell and flavor profile. This blog post will shed light on the differences between Live Terpenes and Cured Terpenes, along with the extraction methods, machinery used, and the challenges involved.
Check out all our Fresh Never Frozen® terpene oils and terpene infusion bags on our online store and find the best options for your needs.
What Are Terpenes?
Terpenes are aromatic compounds found in many plants, including cannabis. They are responsible for the distinct flavors and aromas of the plants. Beyond their sensory properties, terpenes also interact with cannabinoids (such as CBC, CBG, CBN, and THC) to influence the overall effects of cannabis – also known as the entourage effect.
Cured Terpenes
Cured Terpenes are extracted from dried and cured cannabis plants. This method aims to capture the terpenes as they exist in cured flower. It produces a less complex result with high concentrations of heavier molecular weight compounds.
Main Features
- Extraction Timing: After the drying and curing processes are complete.
- Terpene Profile: Mature, more closely resembling hashish.
- Challenges: Excessive drying can break down monoterpenes and other volatile, leaving only heavy sesquiterpenes behind.
Live Terpenes
Live Terpenes are extracted from cannabis plants that are harvested and immediately processed without drying or, curing, or flash frozen and held in cold storage until they are ready to be processed. This method aims to capture the full profile of terpenes as they exist in the live plant, preserving their natural complexity and potency.
Main Features
- Extraction Timing: Immediately after harvest.
- Terpene Profile: Complete and complex, rich in volatiles, closely resembling the live plant.
- Challenges: Requires immediate freezing or processing equipment and know-how.
Types of Extraction Methods
Various extraction methods are used to obtain terpenes, each with its own advantages and challenges. The most common methods include:
Steam Distillation
Steam distillation involves passing steam through the plant material to vaporize the terpenes, which are then condensed and collected. This method is widely used for its ability to produce high-purity terpenes without using solvents. Steam distillation is preferred for its simplicity and effectiveness in extracting a broad range of terpenes while maintaining their natural profiles.
Machinery Used: Steam distillation vessel, condensers, cooling system.
Pros: High purity, preserves complete terpene profile.
Cons: The introduction of heat requires precise control of temperature and pressure.
Solvent Extraction
Butane Hash Oil (BHO) extraction uses butane as a solvent to extract terpenes. The process involves passing butane through the plant material, dissolving the terpenes, and then evaporating the butane. While effective, this method requires careful handling due to the flammable nature of butane. BHO extraction is popular for producing high-potency concentrates but demands stringent safety measures and expertise.
Machinery Used: Extraction vessels, evaporators, solvent recovery systems.
Pros: Efficient and scalable for large batches.
Cons: Potential for solvent residues and requires careful handling of chemicals, incomplete extraction.
CO2 Extraction
CO2 extraction uses supercritical carbon dioxide to extract terpenes. This highly efficient method allows for precise control over the extraction process, producing high-quality terpenes with minimal impurities. CO2 extraction is favored for its safety and ability to fine-tune the extraction parameters to target specific compounds, resulting in a highly refined product.
Machinery Used: CO2 extraction systems, separators.
Pros: Safe, environmentally friendly, high purity.
Cons: Expensive equipment, requires technical expertise, incomplete extraction.
Challenges of Extracting Fresh Terpenes
Extracting fresh terpenes is challenging due to their delicate nature. These compounds are highly volatile and can easily degrade if not handled properly. Factors such as time, temperature, light, and oxygen exposure can significantly impact the quality and stability of the extracted terpenes. This necessitates the use of preservation techniques and/or immediate processing to maintain the aroma profile.
Extracting fresh terpenes poses several challenges, such as:
- Volatility: Terpenes are highly volatile compounds that can easily evaporate or degrade during extraction, especially if the process involves heat. Maintaining their integrity requires careful temperature control and swift processing.
- Moisture Content: Fresh plant material contains a high moisture content, which can complicate extraction and reduce the efficiency of solvent-based methods. Managing moisture levels is crucial to prevent unwanted reactions and ensure a clean, high-quality extract.
- Preservation: Maintaining the integrity of terpenes during extraction requires careful handling and precise control over environmental conditions. Proper storage and processing techniques are essential to prevent the degradation and loss of aromatic compounds.
Freezing the Cannabis Plant
Freezing the cannabis plant immediately after harvest has been the go-to methodology for preserving its terpene profile. Freezing halts the enzymatic processes that lead to degradation, ensuring that the plant material retains its full aromatic and chemical complexity. This is particularly important for producing high-quality Live Terpenes, which are sought after for their true-to-plant flavor and effects.
In-House Extraction vs. Outsourcing Terpene Production
Some companies extract terpenes in-house, investing significant time, money, and resources into learning the processes, purchasing machinery, and hiring qualified personnel. However, this approach often results in inconsistent outcomes between batches, requiring ongoing adjustments and troubleshooting.
In-house extraction can be a complex and demanding endeavor. It involves not only the initial investment in equipment and training but also continuous maintenance and process optimization. Achieving consistent results can be challenging, especially for businesses that do not specialize in terpene extraction.
Alternatively, many businesses opt to outsource their terpene production. By partnering with a reputable manufacturer like Terpene Belt Farms™, companies can focus their efforts on other critical aspects of their business. We ensure consistent quality through rigorous testing and meticulous extraction processes, providing our customers with reliable, high-quality terpenes that enhance their products in flavor, taste, and potency.
Terpene Belt Farms™: Fresh Never Frozen®
At Terpene Belt Farms™, we pride ourselves on being the leading manufacturer of Fresh Never Frozen® terpenes globally. The scale of our processing equipment has allowed us to remove the need to flash freeze the flowers after harvest. Our terpenes are steam-distilled within 60 minutes of the harvest to ensure the highest quality and purity. Our team’s dedication to excellence in material handling yields the finest terpenes with consistency between batches and vintages. By outsourcing terpene extraction to Terpene Belt Farms™, companies can focus their resources on other aspects of their business. Our rigorous testing and quality extraction processes guarantee consistency in flavor, taste, and potency, ensuring our customers receive the best possible product every time.
Leading the Terpene Industry
Understanding the differences between Live Terpenes, Cured Terpenes, and Fresh Frozen Terpenes is essential for anyone involved in the cannabis industry. Each type of terpene offers unique benefits and challenges, and the choice of extraction method can significantly impact the final product’s quality.
Terpene Belt Farms™ stands out as a trusted partner in terpene production, providing high-quality, steam-distilled terpenes that meet the needs of discerning customers. Our services offer a dependable solution for those looking to enhance their products with consistent and potent terpenes. To view all the terpene oils and terpene infusion bags we currently have, visit our online store.
For more detailed information on selecting a wholesale terpene manufacturer, download our free guide here.
FAQ
What are terpenes in the cannabis plant?
Terpenes are aromatic compounds found in cannabis plants and many other plants. They contribute to the plant’s distinctive flavors and aromas. In cannabis, terpene production is a key factor in selecting cannabis cultivars, as it influences the plant’s flavor profile and enhances the interaction with cannabinoids like THC and CBD, a phenomenon known as the entourage effect.
What are live resin terpenes?
Live resin captures the essence of the cannabis plant by preserving its terpenes and cannabinoids through a meticulous extraction process. Live resin terpenes contribute significantly to the flavor and aroma of the final product.
Live terpenes are extracted from flash frozen cannabis plants that are freshly harvested and immediately processed without undergoing the curing process, or they are stored as frozen plant material until ready for processing. This extraction process preserves the robust terpene profile, capturing the full spectrum of aromatic oils and flavors present in the live plant material.
What are cured terpenes from cured cannabis flowers?
Cured terpenes are extracted from cannabis flowers that have undergone the curing process. This method captures the terpenes in their form as they exist in the dried and cured plant material. As a result, the terpene profile is less complex but remains rich in aromatic oils and flavors, closely resembling the profile found in cured resin.
How does the extraction timing differ between live terpenes and cured terpenes?
For live terpenes, the extraction process occurs immediately after harvest, using fresh, frozen cannabis plants to preserve terpenes, cannabinoids, and flavors at their peak. For cured terpenes, extraction takes place after the cannabis plants have been dried and cured.
What are the main challenges of extracting live terpenes?
Extracting live terpenes from freshly harvested cannabis plants requires immediate flash freezing or processing to preserve their integrity. The high volatility of these compounds, the moisture content in the plant material, and the need for precise temperature control during extraction are significant challenges in ensuring both safety and potency.
How does Terpene Belt Farms ensure the quality of their terpenes?
Terpene Belt Farms™ steam distills their cannabis concentrates within 60 minutes of harvest, ensuring the highest quality and purity. Our dedication to excellence in material handling and rigorous testing guarantees consistency in flavor, taste, and potency across batches and vintages.
What are the key differences between live terpenes and cured terpenes in terms of their profiles and effects?
Live terpenes have a complete and complex profile, rich in volatile compounds, closely resembling the live plant, leading to more potent and true-to-plant flavors and effects. The flavor and aroma profiles of live terpenes are vibrant and capture the essence of the living cannabis plant, preserving the full spectrum of terpenes. Cured terpenes, on the other hand, have a mature profile with fewer volatiles and higher concentrations of heavier compounds.