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CRD CBD: What is crystallization-resistant distillate?
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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 is the acronym for “crystal-resistant distillate” or “distillat résistant à la cristallisation” in French, not to be confused with Rosin, which is a concentrate extracted by pressing.
Why is a non-crystallizing product so interesting? What exactly is it? As always, you can trust us to tell you everything you need to know about it!
Before we begin, a quick reminder about the full spectrum
To understand the implications of this product, it's essential to first understand the concept of "broad spectrum" or "full spectrum." This term means that the product contains a very wide range of cannabinoids—practically as many as a hemp plant. As you know, hemp and cannabis plants likely contain over 200 cannabinoids, including a few major ones and a whole host of minor ones.
What's interesting is that it has been discovered that cannabinoids taken separately have a fairly limited effect. However, when taken together, they activate each other and increase their potency.
Therefore, individually they are more effective together than separately; this is what is called the entourage effect.
What is the CRD, and how is it used?
CRD is a product specifically developed for electronic cigarettes. That's why its main property is that it doesn't crystallize, even over long periods. Otherwise, it wouldn't be usable.
But this product has another interesting characteristic: it's a full-spectrum product with a high dose of minor cannabinoids. We'll come back to the importance of this second characteristic later, which is actually very closely linked to the first.
The third characteristic of the product is that it is oil-soluble and contains no unnatural or toxic substances. According to the various manufacturers' instructions, CRD is composed of 100% hemp flowers, leaves, stems, and seeds.
Thanks to its unique characteristics, CRD hasn't remained limited to vaping products: its applications in food, cosmetics, and wellness are virtually limitless. And with its comprehensive spectrum of uses, it promises enhanced benefits, so manufacturers are seizing every opportunity to utilize it.
The production of CRD CBD
The initial stages of CRD production are not significantly different from those of other concentrates and isolates. Manufacturers employ various methods requiring CO2 or ethanol to extract cannabinoids, flavenes, terpenes, and trichomes from the plant material.
They obtain a kind of crude CBD oil. Then, the material is distilled to separate the different isolates. At the end of this process, a cannabinoid concentrate is obtained, 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 other cannabinoids are therefore incompatible; as they stand, they cannot be mixed, a bit like oil and water, they are immiscible.
A problem for the industry
Due to these physical differences, manufacturers were forced to make a choice: either they produced a concentrate with a high CBD content but very low levels of minor cannabinoids, allowing users to benefit from the effects of CBD but not the entourage effect.
Conversely, the product might have a fairly low CBD content and more minor cannabinoids, allowing users to benefit from the entourage effect but with fewer of the effects of CBD itself. And let's be honest, this second option results in a rather unstable and short-lived product; CBD crystallization, and therefore the separation of its compounds, inevitably occurs sooner or later.
This is where the problem lay, as manufacturers are engaged in fierce competition to see who can create the concentrate with the highest level of full-spectrum cannabinoids and therefore the greatest potential profit!
The problem is solved with CRD CBD!
The exact manufacturing process, the step by which manufacturers make cannabinoids resistant to crystallization, is quite secret; we were unable to find any information on how they do it, but the result is there!
The product boasts up to 60% CBD and between 15-30% minor cannabinoids, for a total cannabinoid content that can reach nearly 90% of various cannabinoids ! Alongside moonrockCBD this CBD product is therefore one of the most promising in terms of potency on the market.
Perspectives on the world of French CBD
As you've probably gathered, CRD represents a small revolution in the world of CBD. A revolution that, in our opinion, could have a snowball effect.
Let us explain: on one hand we have a product that displays a large 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 that it can be applied to synthetic cannabinoids, we could soon see some of the strongest cannabinoid products ever created ! And all the repercussions that would follow for the market and the consumer.
All of this is purely hypothetical, but if it were to happen, we would inform you immediately! Did you enjoy this article and are you interested in learning more about the small revolutions in the world of CBD? We've prepared an article for you on Frozen Drying, a method for drying flowers in less than 24 hours!
