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CBD Distillation: Know About Process and Its Types

Written By

Nishant Garund

Medically Reviewed by Dr. Varuni Agarwal

Dr. Varuni Agarwal is an esteemed Ayurvedic physician specializing in diagnosing diseases through Ayurvedic dosha imbalances and providing personalized treatments. She focuses on ahara (diet) and vihara (lifestyle) to manage and heal various ailments.

CBD Distillation: Know About Process and Its Types

CBD distillation is the purification of crude CBD oil into a highly concentrated, purified form. The purification process removes impurities and unwanted compounds such as fats, waxes, and other cannabinoids leaving a strong extract which is usually at 70-80% CBD. The concentrated oil is valued for its versatility, useful in forming a wide range of products like tinctures, topicals, and edibles, among others. It helps ensure the product is pure and potent through the isolation and concentration of the beneficial compounds by CBD distillation. In this blog, you will learn about the CBD distillation process thoroughly. 

Vapour Distillation CBD

Vapour Distillation CBD
  • Winterizing: In this process, the extract is cooled, and all unwanted fats and waxes are separated.
  • Filtration: To ensure the oil is clear, it is subjected to filtration; the impurities in this case, in solid form.
  • Removing Solvent: Ethanol or CO2 used in the extraction process will be eliminated to avoid impurities
  • Distillation: In this process, the extract is heated up, then vaporized, and condensed as pure CBD distillate
  • Purity and Potency: Through vapour distillation, extremely concentrated CBD is achieved and minimum impurities. Because of its purity, it has been used mainly medicinally, as it is much stronger and easier to manage dosing.
  • Health Benefits: CBD distillation being considered pure is used for therapeutic purposes for relieving pain, reducing anxiety, seizure management, and even for anti-inflammatory. It has a very high concentration, and with that effects are noticed at lower dosages.
  • No Thinners: Vapour distillation would not be using those dangerous thinners that most of the vape products employ, such as PEG and PG, which when heated may cause some unhealthy by-products.
  • Multi-Use: CBD, once distilled can now be applied to various forms. These will include vapes, tinctures, edibles, and topicals. Vaping is preferred because it absorbs faster. Tinctures and edibles are for longer-lasting effects.

This is when manufacturers confidently point out that their CBD distillation is potent, pure, and safe for consumption if the procedure is followed correctly.

CBD Oil Distillation 

CBD oil distillation is one of the most critical operations in refining hemp extracts

CBD oil distillation is one of the most critical operations in refining hemp extracts towards a higher-purity and more potent product. The process starts with crude extraction, typically using CO2 or ethanol extraction methods, which extract cannabinoids, such as CBD, from the plant material. Then, waxes, and plant matter, among many other impurities are removed through processes like winterization, which drops the extract mix with ethanol, cools the mixture, and separates the unwanted elements.

Distillation itself is the process of heating crude extract for specific compounds like CBD to evaporate and then collect it back into liquid, leaving impurities behind. There are also instances where it involves multiple passes depending on the degree of purification. It all ends up with a highly purified CBD distillation being sold or used as products such as tinctures or vape oils.

CBD Oil Distillation Process

CBD oil distillation is one of the most critical operations in refining hemp extracts towards a higher-purity product. Here are major points of the process.

  • Hemp Oil Extraction: CBD is extracted using processes like CO2 or ethanol extraction from hemp. This stage extracts the cannabinoids and other plant materials, chlorophyll and waxes, from crude oil.
  • Winterization: Crude oil and ethanol are mixed and put in a refrigerator. This causes fats and waxes to solidify. Impurities can now be filtered out.
  • Decarboxylation: This helps to heat the oil in converting inactive compounds such as CBD-A, into active CBD. This step increases the potency and bioavailability of the extract.
  • Distillation: Applied with heat and vacuum pressure, the cannabinoids vaporize and separate from impurities. The vapors are collected and condensed into high-purity CBD oil.
  • Refinement: To increase purity, some producers use recrystallization or remove THC by further methods like flash chromatography.

CBD Fractional Distillation

CBD fractional distillation is a very technical processing technique

CBD fractional distillation is a very technical processing technique applied in the purification of CBD extracts. In this technique, crude CBD oil contains mixes of cannabinoids and other compounds separated into different fractions. The extract heats up until specific compounds vaporize and are collected while different cannabinoids separate based on boiling points.

CBD is significantly separated from other contaminants such as THC, waxes, and lipids through fractional distillation. This results in a better quality product, usually into CBD distillate with a purity of around 70-80%. This qualifies it for the making of products that are almost THC-free since most CBD distillates found in commerce have less than 0.03% THC.

In short, fractional distillation is the critical step in the very pure production of CBD used in all products like oils, edibles, and topicals.

Conclusion

In conclusion, CBD distillation is used for cleansing and purification of CBD oil. It will enhance the concentration of cannabinoids like CBD. It eventually produces a highly potent product that can be THC-free depending on the method. Wiped-film distillation techniques are what purify the CBD to perfection, which would be the best for high, constant, therapeutic products, including pain and stress, among numerous medicinal uses. Distillates allows for a highly concentrated product that can be made according to the consumers to derive all the goods from CBD without impurities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Can CBD be distilled?

Yes, CBD oil can be distilled. The purification process removes impurities and unwanted compounds such as fats, waxes, and other cannabinoids leaving a strong extract which is usually at 70-80% CBD. The concentrated oil is valued for its versatility, useful in forming a wide range of products like tinctures, topicals, and edibles, among others. It helps ensure the product is pure and potent through the isolation and concentration of the beneficial compounds by distillation. 

Q. What is CBD distillate?

CBD distillation is used for cleansing and purification of CBD oil. It will enhance the concentration of cannabinoids like CBD. It eventually produces a highly potent product that can be THC-free depending on the method.

Q. What temperature is CBD distilled at?

CBD is distilled at a temperature between 160-180°C (320-356°F) so that purification of the CBD extract would be into separation from compounds, while keeping efficacy intact. This temperature, which is thus kept under proper regulation, ensures that CBD remains in potency and good quality.

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