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CRD CBD: What is crystallization-resistant distillate?
Reading time
⌛
4 min
You may have heard about it: a new product is causing a sensation in the growing world of CBD. You've read the title, so you know we're not going to talk about Ice-O-Lator , although it's also revolutionary and quite interesting; we're going to talk about CRD . And surprise, it's not a new molecule, but a new concentrated product!
CRD stands for " crystal-resistant distillate ", not to be confused with Rosin, which is a press-extracted concentrate.
Why is a product that doesn't crystallize interesting? What exactly is a non-crystallizing product? As always, you can trust us to tell you all you need to know on the subject!
Before we begin, a quick reminder of the full spectrum
To understand what's at stake with this product, we first need to understand the "broad spectrum" principle. This means that the product contains a very wide range of cannabinoids. Practically as much as in a hemp plant. As you know, hemp and cannabis plants are likely to contain over 200 cannabinoids, some major and a whole host of minor ones.
What's interesting is that we've discovered that cannabinoids taken separately have a fairly limited effect. But taken together, they activate each other and increase their potency.
Individually, they are more effective together than separately: this is known as the entourage effect.
What is the CRD and how do we use it?
CRD is a product specially developed for electronic cigarettes. That's why its main property is that it doesn't crystallize, even over long periods. Otherwise, it couldn't be used.
But this product has another interesting characteristic: it's a full spectrum, high-dose minor cannabinoid. We'll come back later to the importance of this second characteristic, which is in fact closely linked to the first.
The product's third characteristic is that it is oil-soluble and contains no unnatural or toxic substances. According to the various manufacturers' leaflets, CRD is made from 100% hemp flowers, leaves, stalks and seeds.
Thanks to its characteristics, CRD is not just a product for vape: its applications in food, cosmetics and wellness are virtually unlimited. And with its full spectrum of benefits, manufacturers are not missing any opportunity to use it.
The production of CRD CBD
The first steps in the composition of CRD are not very different from other concentrates and isolates. Manufacturers use a variety of methods requiring CO2 or ethanol to extract cannabinoids, flavenes, terpenes and trichomes from plant material.
They obtain a kind of CBD crude oil. Next, the material is distilled to separate the different isolates. The end result is a cannabinoid concentrate, but the problem is that not all cannabinoids have the same physical properties. This is where CRD is truly revolutionary.
Physical properties of isolates
With a very high concentration of cannabinoids (up to 99%), each isolate has its own characteristics:
High concentrations of CBD tend to crystallize naturally upon contact with air. It therefore appears as a powder forming clumps of varying sizes.
Conversely, most minor or secondary cannabinoids (CBC, CBG, CBN, CBDv, CBT...) tend to resist crystallization, forming a kind of syrupy liquid.
CBD and the other cannabinoids are therefore incompatible, in their current state they cannot be mixed, rather like oil and water, they are immiscible.
A problem for industry
Because of these physical differences, manufacturers were forced to make a choice: either produce a concentrate with high levels of CBD, but very low levels of minor cannabinoids. This allows the effects of CBD to be enjoyed , but not the entourage effect.
Or, conversely, the product has a fairly low level of cbd and more minor cannabinoids, allowing you to benefit from the entourage effect, but rather little from the effects of CBD. And let's face it, this second solution results in a rather unstable and short-lived product: crystallization of the CBD, and therefore separation of the compounds, inevitably occurs over a relatively short period of time.
And that's where the problem lies, as manufacturers compete fiercely to see who can create the concentrate with the highest level of full-spectrum cannabinoids, and therefore the greatest profit potential!
The problem is solved with CRD CBD!
The exact manufacturing process, the step by which manufacturers make cannabinoids resistant to crystallization, is fairly secretive, and we haven't managed to find any info on how they do it, but the result is there!
The product contains up to 60% CBD and between 15-30% minor cannabinoids, for a total cannabinoid content of around 90%! Alongside CBD moonrocks, CBD is one of the most promising products on the market in terms of potency.
World outlook on French CBD
As you can see, CRD represents a minor revolution in the world of CBD. A revolution that we believe could have a snowball effect.
On the one hand, we have a product with a strong entourage effect, multiplying the effects of the cannabinoids present.
On the other hand, we have the French market, with one of the strongest demands for recreational cannabis products in Europe.
We don't have much information on the non-crystallization process, but if it turns out to be possible to transpose it to synthetic cannabinoids, we could soon see some of the strongest cannabinoid products ever! And all the repercussions that would entail for the market and the consumer.
This is all hypothetical, but if it does happen, we'll let you know immediately! Did you like this article and want to learn more about the little revolutions in the world of CBD? We've prepared an article on Frozen Drying, a method of drying flowers in less than 24 hours!
