Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
POWDERED CANNABIS PRODUCTS, PRODUCTS CONTAINING
POWERED CANNABIS AND PROCESSES OF MAKING SAME
FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to powdered cannabis
products,
products containing powdered cannabis, and processes of making same.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Cannabis can be consumed by humans in a number of ways. Some
people prefer to consume edible cannabis products, such as drinks containing
cannabis
oil. Cannabis oil, however, is not naturally soluble in water, and attempts
have been
made at producing powered cannabis oil products that can be used in a drink.
In certain
jurisdictions, the amount of cannabinoids in edible cannabis products is
regulated. In
Canada for example, products meant for ingestion have a limit of 10 mg of the
cannabinoid tetrahydrocannabinol ("THC") per dose. Producing powdered cannabis
products with a consistent distribution of THC and/or one or more other
cannabinoids
that meet local regulations has proved challenging.
SUMMARY
[0003] In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a process of
producing an
edible powder containing cannabis including providing a desired quantity of a
cannabis
oil, mixing the cannabis oil with a solvent to form an emulsion, providing a
desired
amount of a starch powder, mixing the emulsion with the starch powder to form
a
mixture, and removing the solvent from the mixture. In one aspect, a paste is
formed
with the mixture. In one aspect, the solvent is ethanol. In one aspect, the
starch powder
is a maltodextrin powder. In one aspect, the starch powder includes a
maltodextrin
powder and a tapioca powder. In one aspect, the process further includes
heating the
mixture under vacuum conditions to remove the solvent or substantially all of
the solvent
from the paste. In another aspect, the process further includes breaking up
the mixture
into a powder following removal of the solvent. In another aspect, the process
further
includes subjecting the emulsion to sonification. In another aspect, the
process further
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includes remixing the mixture and repeating the step of heating the mixture
under a
vacuum to remove ethanol from the mixture. In another aspect, the present
disclosure
relates to a product made according to the processes described above.
[0004] In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a
powdered cannabis
product including a cannabis oil and a maltodextrin powder, such that the
ratio of
cannabis oil to the maltodextrin powder is in the range of 1:100 to 1:10. In
another
embodiment, the powered cannabis product further includes a tapioca starch
powder. In
one embodiment, the ratio of the maltodextrin powder to the tapioca powder is
3:1. In
one embodiment, the ratio of cannabis oil to the combined maltodextrin powder
and the
tapioca powder is in the range of 1:100 to 1:10.
[0005] In another aspect, the present disclosure relates a
powdered cannabis
=
product including a cannabis isolate and a maltodextrin powder, such that the
ratio of
cannabis isolate to the maltodextrin powder is in the range of 1:100 to 1:10.
In another
embodiment, the powered cannabis product further includes a tapioca starch
powder. In
one embodiment, the ratio of the maltodextrin powder to the tapioca powder is
3:1. In
one embodiment, the ratio of cannabis isolate to the combined maltodextrin
powder and
the tapioca powder is in the range of 1:100 to 1:10.
[0006] In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a
process of producing
an edible powder containing cannabis isolate including providing a desired
quantity of a
cannabis isolate, mixing the cannabis isolate with a solvent to form an
emulsion,
providing a desired quality of a starch powder, mixing the emulsion and the
starch
powder to form a mixture, and removing the solvent from the mixture. In one
aspect, the
mixture is a paste. In one aspect, the solvent is ethanol. In one aspect, the
starch is
maltodextrin powder. In one aspect, the starch includes a maltodextrin powder
and a
tapioca powder. In one aspect, the process further includes heating the
mixture and
applying a vacuum to the mixture to remove solvent from the paste. In another
aspect,
the process further includes breaking the paste into a powder following
removal of the
solvent. In another aspect, the process further includes subjecting the
emulsion to
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sonification. In another aspect, the process further includes remixing the
mixture and
repeating the step of heating the mixture in a vacuum to remove ethanol from
the
mixture. In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a product made
according
to the processes disclosed in the present disclosure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF DRAWINGS
[0007] For the purpose of illustrating the invention, the drawings show
aspects of
one or more embodiments of the invention. However, it should be understood
that the
present invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and
instrumentalities shown
in the drawings, wherein:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a flowchart of an embodiment of the process for
producing a
powdered cannabis oil product; and
[0009] FIG. 2 is a is a flowchart of another embodiment of the process
for
producing a powdered cannabis isolate or distillate product.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0010] In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a process of
producing an edible powder containing cannabis. A desired quantity of a
cannabis oil
extract is measured 10 and a solvent selected 20 and the cannabis oil is mixed
with a
solvent to form an emulsion 30. In one embodiment, the solvent is ethanol. In
certain
other embodiments, the solvent is selected from the group consisting of
ethanol,
isopropanol, chloroform, methane, hexane, cyclohexane, acetone, pentane and
combinations thereof. Local food contact regulations and/or fire codes may
govern
which solvent(s) are permitted. In one embodiment, the cannabis oil and the
solvent is
heated while forming the emulsion. Heating promotes fluidization of the
mixture. In one
embodiment, the emulsion is made in a beaker and stirred while being heated to
a
temperature of about 79 C for approximately 25-30 minutes. Mixing times may
vary but
in one embodiment, the emulsion is mixed until there is no significant phase
separation
in the emulsion. Forming an emulsion promotes the even distribution of
cannabinoids
throughout the emulsion. Heating of the emulsion also promotes decarboxylation
provided that the emulsion is heated to suitable temperatures because the two
main
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catalysts for decarboxylation are heat and time. In one embodiment, heating of
the
emulsion to a temperature in the range of about 240 F to 243 F promotes
decarboxylation. Temperatures above about 243 F denature the cannabinoid(s) in
cannabis oil. In another embodiment, where decarboxylation is not required
because
the cannabis oil has previously been decarboxylated, the emulsion is heated to
about
80 C. In another embodiment, the emulsion is subjected to sonication to
further break
down cannabis oil droplets in the emulsion into nanoparticles and/or
microparticles.
Reducing the size of the cannabis oil droplets increases the bioavailability
of the
cannabinoids in the cannabis oil. Smaller cannabis oil droplets also improve
the
resulting powdered product by promoting more uniform distribution of the
cannabinoids
in the resulting powder. In one embodiment, sonication of the emulsion can be
carried
out with a cavitational homogenizer.
[0011] A starch powder is selected 40 and a desired quantify of the
starch
powder is measured and the cannabis oil emulsion is mixed with the starch
powder 50.
In one embodiment, the starch is a maltodextrin powder. In another embodiment,
the
starch is a mixture of a maltodextrin powder and a tapioca powder. In one
embodiment,
the starch powder is a mixture of a maltodextrin powder and a tapioca powder
in a ratio
of about 3:1. In one embodiment, the emulsion and the starch powder are mixed
to form
a paste. In one embodiment, the proportion of cannabis oil to starch powder is
10 mg
cannabis oil to 1 g starch powder. In other embodiments, the proportion of
cannabis oil
to starch powder ranges from 20 to 100 mg of cannabis oil to 1 g of starch
powder. In
other embodiments, the ratio of cannabis oil to starch powder ranges from
1:100 to
1:10.
[0012] In a next step, the solvent or substantially all of the solvent is
removed
from the mixture 60. In one embodiment, where a paste has been formed from the
mixture, the paste is flattened on a pan and placed in a vacuum purge oven. In
one
embodiment, the oven temperature used is about 230 C. In another embodiment,
the
oven temperature is about 120 C when a vacuum purge is not used. Care should
be
taken not to heat the paste to a temperature where a substantial amount of the
cannabinoids in the paste are "boiled off". In one embodiment, the paste is
purged for
about 24 hours. In another embodiment, the paste is purged until substantially
all of the
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solvent has been removed from the paste. In another embodiment, after purging,
the
paste is re-blended, flattened again and placed again in the vacuum purge oven
for a
second purge session. In one embodiment, the second purge session is about 12
hours
in duration.
[0013] In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a process
of
producing an edible powder containing cannabis. A desired quantity of a
cannabis
isolate or distillate is measured 70, a solvent is selected 80, and the
cannabis isolate or
distillate and the solvent are mixed and emulsified 90. In certain
embodiments, the
cannabinoid isolate may be selected from the group consisting of:
[0014] BGA (Cannabigerolic acid)
[0015] THCA (A9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid)
[0016] CBDA (Cannabidiolic acid)
[0017] CBCA (Cannabichromenenic acid)
[0018] CBGVA (Cannabigerovarinic acid)
[0019] THCVA (Tetrahydrocanabivarinic acid)
[0020] CBDVA (Cannabidivarinic acid)
[0021] CBCVA (Cannabichromevarinic acid)
[0022] CBG (Cannabigerol)
[0023] THC (A9¨tetrahydrocannabinol)
[0024] CBD (Cannabidiol)
[0025] CBC (Cannabichromene)
[0026] CBGV (Cannabigerivarin)
[0027] THCV (Tetrahydrocannabivarin)
[0028] CBDV (Cannabidivarin)
[0029] CBCV (Cannabichromevarin)
[0030] and combinations thereof.
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[0031] In one embodiment, the solvent is ethanol. In certain other
embodiments,
the solvent is selected from the group consisting of ethanol, chloroform,
methane,
hexane, cyclohexane, acetone, pentane and combinations thereof. Heating
promotes
fluidization of the mixture. In one embodiment, the mixture is made in a
beaker and
stirred while heated to a temperature of about 79 C for approximately 25-30
minutes.
Mixing times may vary but preferably, mixing should continue until there is no
significant
phase separation in the mixture. The emulsion also promotes the even
distribution of
the isolate throughout the emulsion. Heating of the emulsion also promotes
decarboxylation provided that the emulsion is heated to suitable temperatures
because
the two main catalysts for decarboxylation are heat and time. In one
embodiment,
heating the emulsion to a temperature of in the range of about 240 F to 243 F
promotes
decarboxylation. Temperatures above about 243 F denature the isolate.
[0032] In another embodiment, the emulsion is heated to about 80 C where
decarboxylation is not required because the isolate has previously been
decarboxylated. In another embodiment, the mixture is subjected to sonication
to break
down isolate droplets in the mixture into nanoparticles and/or microparticles.
Reducing
the size of the isolate droplets increases the bioavailability of the
cannabinoids in the
isolate. Smaller isolate droplets also improves the resulting powdered product
by
promoting more uniform distribution of the cannabinoids in the resulting
powder. In one
embodiment, sonication can be carried out with a cavitational homogenizer.
[0033] A starch powder is selected 100 and a desired quantity of starch
powder is
measured and mixed with the emulsion to form a mixture 110. In one embodiment,
the
starch is a maltodextrin powder. In another embodiment, the starch is a
mixture of a
maltodextrin powder and a tapioca powder. In one embodiment, the starch powder
is a
mixture of a maltodextrin powder and a tapioca powder in a ratio of about 3:1.
In one
embodiment, the emulsion and the starch powder are mixed to form a paste. In
one
embodiment, the proportion of cannabis oil to starch powder is 10 mg cannabis
oil to 1 g
starch powder. In other embodiments, the proportion of cannabis oil to starch
powder
ranges from 20 to 100 mg of cannabis oil to 1 g of starch powder. In other
embodiments, the ratio of cannabis oil to starch powder ranges from 1:100 to
1:10.
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[0034] In a
next step, the solvent is removed from the mixture 120. In one
embodiment, the paste is flattened on a pan and placed in a vacuum purge oven.
In one
embodiment, the oven temperature is about 230 C. In another embodiment, the
oven
temperature is about 120 C when a vacuum purge is not used. The paste should
not be
heated too much such that cannabinoids in the paste are "boiled off. In one
embodiment, the paste is purged for about 24 hours. In another embodiment, the
paste
is purged until substantially all of the solvent has been removed from the
paste. In
another embodiment, after purging, the paste is re-blended, flattened again
and placed
again in the vacuum purge oven for a second purge session. In one embodiment,
the
second purge session is about 12 hours in duration.
[0035]
According to certain embodiments of the processes of the present
invention, following removal of the solvent, the resulting paste is chalk-like
in
consistency and can be processed into a powder. Powderization can be achieved
through mechanical means such as pulverization or milling using for example a
blender
or grinder.
[0036]
Powdered products made according to embodiments of processes of the
present invention can be added to a variety of edible products. For example,
the
powdered product can be used in drinks such as fruit drinks, rescue drinks and
energy
drinks. The powdered product can also be added to a wide variety of foods such
as for
example cake mixes, soups, chocolate, dips and toppings.
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