Supercritical CO2 Cannabis Extraction Commences at Valens Groworks
Valens Groworks is pleased to announce the successful completion of its initial batch of supercritical CO2-extracted cannabis oil at wholly-owned subsidiary Valens AgriTech in Kelowna.
The company's current 400 kg per month processing capacity is expected to increase to 1,000 kg over March, and to 6,000 kg per month with the addition of several double-capacity machines, scheduled for delivery starting mid-March.
Solvent selection is very important for applications in the food, nutraceutical, and pharmaceutical industries, where health and safety legislation place severe restrictions on the types of solvents that can be used. Supercritical CO2 removes the concern of toxic solvent residues in our products. CO2 extracts are pure and require minimal post-processing. Carbon dioxide is generally recognized as safe by the FDA and EFSA, making CO2 the ideal solvent for processing food and medical extracts.
Valens' utilization of a full-spectrum extraction process allows greater control and tuneability for multiple throughputs and sales objectives, is closed-loop so the evaporating CO2 is captured and reused, and extracts a significant amount of the terpenes in cannabis, the fragrant oils that give cannabis its aromatic diversity.
Terpenes are secreted in the flower's sticky resin glands, the same ones that produce THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids. Lab-testing is the only way of knowing a strain's terpene potency. Valens' oils will be continuously batch-tested through Supra THC Services, our in-house Health Canada licensed cannabis testing lab, to assure the highest quality and content essential to our branding objectives.
