Cannabis Extract Decarboxylation via Enzymatic Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing cannabis extracts, such as oven-based decarboxylation, result in the loss of desirable volatile compounds like caryophyllene and terpenes due to heat-induced evaporation or chemical reactions, lacking control over the decarboxylation process.
Innovation Solution
A process involving pre-freezing and cryogenic grinding of cannabis followed by alcohol extraction to produce initial extracts, which can then be subjected to controlled decarboxylation processes to convert THCA to Δ9-THC, THCVA to THCV, THCA to CBN, or THCA to Δ8-THC, minimizing compound loss through precise temperature and solvent management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If oven-based heating is used for decarboxylation, then decarboxylation efficiency is improved, but volatile compounds are lost through evaporation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter from high-temperature oven heating to low-temperature enzymatic conditions. The enzymatic decarboxylation process operates at temperatures below the evaporation point of volatile compounds, thereby maintaining decarboxylation efficiency while preventing loss of volatile substances through parameter optimization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the thermal-mechanical decarboxylation system (oven heating) with a biochemical system (enzymatic catalysis). This substitution eliminates the need for high temperatures that cause volatile compound evaporation, while still achieving efficient decarboxylation through enzymatic action.
2Speed
If high temperature heating is applied, then decarboxylation reaction speed is improved, but chemical reactions of volatile compounds are induced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces thermal energy input with enzymatic catalysis to drive the decarboxylation reaction. The enzyme catalyst provides an alternative reaction pathway with lower activation energy, achieving fast reaction speeds without the harmful heat-induced chemical reactions that occur in conventional thermal processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the reaction condition parameter from high temperature to physiological temperature range with enzymatic catalysis. This parameter change maintains rapid decarboxylation kinetics through enzyme catalysis while avoiding the harmful thermal effects on volatile compounds.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional extraction and heating methods are used, then processing simplicity is maintained, but control over decarboxylation is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs enzymatic catalysts that self-regulate the decarboxylation process through their natural catalytic properties. The enzymes automatically maintain optimal reaction conditions and selectivity without requiring complex external control systems, thereby achieving precise control while maintaining process simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces enzymatic parameters (enzyme type, concentration, pH, substrate specificity) that provide precise control over the decarboxylation process. These biochemical parameters offer finer control mechanisms compared to simple temperature control, enabling selective conversion while maintaining ease of manufacture through straightforward process conditions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method allows for a controlled conversion of cannabis compounds with minimal loss of volatile compounds, achieving a higher degree of control over the decarboxylation process and preserving the desired chemical profile of the final product.
Implementation Method 1
exposing THCA and THCVA to high temperatures, such as those produced when cannabis burns during smoking, causes those compounds to undergo decarboxylation reactions to form psychoactive or other physiologically active compounds
Implementation Method 2
A major drawback of oven-based decarboxylation is the tendency to cause the loss of desirable volatile compounds, such as caryophyllene and other terpenes, through evaporation or heat-induced chemical reactions
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is a process for producing various types of cannabis extract from harvested cannabis. A quantity of harvested cannabis, which typically includes the inflorescence, floral leaves, and small stems of a flowering cannabis plants, is pre-frozen. The harvested cannabis is first subjected to cryogenic grinding to produce pulverized cannabis. The pulverized cannabis is then subjected to alcohol extraction to produce an initial cannabis extract, which can be subjected to one of several forms of further processing according to the desired chemical profile of the final product. The initial cannabis extract may then be subjected to chemical processing that promote the conversion of THCA to Δ9 THC; the conversion of THCVA to THCV; the conversion of THCA to cannabinol (“CBN”); or the conversion of THCA to Δ8-THC.