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WPFF: What is Whole Plant Fresh Frozen?
Reading time ⌛ 3 min
Whole Plant Fresh Frozen, or WPFF , is increasingly being discussed . This expression, translated as " plant entière fraîchement geléee " in French, refers to a practice that is becoming more and more popular among enthusiasts of innovation and premium hash.
Want to learn more about it? This article tells you everything you need to know about the WPFF.
What is Whole Plant Fresh Frozen?
As its name suggests, WPFF refers to the freezing of whole, mature plants
The reason it's so popular is that freezing the entire plant directly preserves the active ingredients of the CBD flowers. WPFF, in particular, contains cannabinoids in their acidic form. When the plant is frozen fresh, these cannabinoids, recognizable by their names ending in "a" (CBDA, CBGA, THCA, etc.), usually disappear during the drying process throughbox.
This technique also preserves a greater quantity of terpenes and flavonoids : these are elements that influence the entourage effect produced by cannabinoids, as well as the taste and color of the plant or resin. Volatile and fragile, they can be quickly degraded by handling, heat, and UV light. By retaining a greater proportion of these compounds, WPFF allows for hash with more complex flavors and a more pronounced entourage effect.
What are WPFF hashes?
Freezing plants is not a type of extraction in itself; it's a preliminary step before extraction. Several types of hash can be made from frozen flowers. These are collectively known as live hash.
Live ice-o-lator and live bubble hash
Live ice-o-lator and live bubble hash are the most common. These hashes are quite similar. In both cases, the process involves beating frozen flowers in ice water to separate the trichomes from the rest of the plant without breaking or damaging them. The mixture is then filtered through increasingly fine sieves to extract the water and plant matter, retaining only the active compounds of the hemp flowers that make up the hash.
The live rosin
Rosin is a unique method of extracting cannabinoids: hot pressing. Whole flowers are pressed between two plates at a temperature ranging from 160 to 200 degrees Celsius. For live rosin, the temperature is lowered to 90°C, resulting in a syrupy, slightly thick extract.
Live full melt and live piatella
Live full melt and live piatella are CBD resins that differ slightly from those mentioned previously. Full melt is hash made using ice water extraction, similar to ice-o-lator or bubble hash, but it represents the highest quality. Free from all impurities and plant matter, it is distinguished by its completely meltable texture and the fact that it melts entirely under heat, leaving no residue.
Piatella ,vacuum-sealed maturation technique for full melt hash. Made using the WPFF method, it is undoubtedly one of the highest quality hashish products you can find.
Dried flower hash or WPFF hash: what's the difference?
There are several differences between dried flower hash and WPFF.
The price
Unlike dried flowers, WPFF doesn't require drying or curing time. However, freezing cannabis plants requires specialized equipment, as they are not simply frozen but cryogenically frozen. Since this equipment is rarer and more expensive, live hash made from WPFF is generally more expensive.
The taste
By preserving a greater proportion of the aromatic agents of the hemp plants, hash made from WPFF develops more nuanced, rounded and complex aromas , generally less marked by the earthy and spicy notes characteristic of hash extracted from dried flowers.
The effects
Preserving the cannabinoids in their acidic form and a higher proportion of terpenes alters the effects of hash. However, at the same cannabinoid levels, it won't necessarily be more potent. In general, WPFF hash typically produces more complex and nuanced effects, closer to those induced by very high-quality flowers, such as those grown hydroponically.
The WPFF: whole frozen flowers for maximum quality
As you might have guessed, WPFF isn't just an innovative practice; it's first and foremost a guarantee of quality. By preserving the plant's active ingredients as much as possible, Whole Plant Fresh Frozen has become an essential reference for premium hash enthusiasts seeking complex flavors, nuanced effects, and an authentic experience that's as close as possible to the fresh plant.
FAQ
What exactly does WPFF mean?
WPFF stands for Whole Plant Fresh Frozen. This involves freezing the plant immediately after harvesting, without drying or curing, in checkout to preserve as many terpenes and cannabinoids as possible in their natural form.
Is WPFF an extraction method?
No, WPFF is not an extraction method in itself, but a preliminary step. It involves preparing the plant material before extraction, which can then be carried out using various techniques, such as ice water for bubble hash or hot pressing for live rosin.
Why freeze the whole plant rather than just the flowers?
Freezing the whole plant helps preserve as many of the trichomes as possible, which could be damaged during harvesting.
Does WPFF actually change the effects of hash?
Yes, but not directly. By retaining more terpenes and cannabinoids in acidic form, WPFF promotes a more pronounced entourage effect, which does not necessarily make the effects more powerful, but can make them more complex, more nuanced and more faithful to the original plant.
