Quality testing of medical cannabis

The legalisation and regulation of medical cannabis by many countries has created a need for rapid quantitative testing of cannabinoids. While different analytical techniques have been utilised for this, Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) is faster and easier to use than established standard techniques (e.g., HPLC): The cannabis matrix can be analysed as is and accurate results for the concentration of the different cannabinoids (CBD, CBG, THC) as well as the moisture content are provided in less than a minute.

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a fast analytical technique with low running costs used to perform quality control (QC) and product screening on various cannabis products, including hemp. It can determine the cannabinoid profile or even the potency of dried cannabis flowers. NIRS can also be used for QC of cannabis oils, waxes, tinctures, and other formulations.

Although cannabis is largely classified as an illegal substance, more Governments are starting to legalise it for medical as well as recreational purposes. As a result, the Market for cannabis products is expanding and with it the growing demand for its regulation and quantitative testing.

Metrohm’s Dr Dave Van Staveren and Andreas Agerer held a global webinar on NIRS for straightforward cannaboids in cannabis products, which is now free to download on demand.

The Key Learning Points Include:

• Which are the main cannaboids to test for
• The principle of NIRS and how this technology is applied to cannabis testing in Compliance with 21FDA CFR Part 11
• The advantages and limitations of NIRS compared to primary measuring techniques

To learn more, register for the on-demand webinar here.