Using Texture Analysis in the development of products containing cannabis

CBD is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid, a product derived from cannabis, that is now widely sold in the UK and other countries around the world. Its properties are said to cause relaxation and relief from pain, nausea and anxiety. Seven in ten consumers believe that CBD offers health benefits including pain management, reduced anxiety, relaxation and reduced inflammation, according to the Natural Marketing Institute’s 2020 Whole Cannabis Study.

Until recently, CBD was available in forms with a pharmaceutical emphasis, such as tablet supplements, skin gels, vapes or combined with a base oil such as coconut or olive. However, increased consumer awareness of CBD has opened the doors to a plethora of new dosage forms. Edibles are projected to be the fastest growing category of CBD-containing consumer products sold in mainstream retail outlets by 2024, adding $5.7 billion in revenue by that year, per IRI/BDS Analytics.

Inspired by the success of CBD sale in the US, in the UK market, CBD is increasingly being found included in food and drink, as businesses have picked up on this public awareness. These products are now being promoted online and in high street retailers, led in part by the permission of some cannabis prescriptions by the UK government.¹

CBD can now be found included in products such as coffee, cake, croissants, beverages and pet treats as well as the more obvious gummies, tablets and vapes. Additionally, chefs are including CBD as a novelty ingredient on their restaurant menus. Incorporating CBD is a challenge in many foods due to its strong, earthy and bitter taste. Therefore, it is usually found in foods with a similar flavour pallet, such as chocolate and coffee.

As the edible market grows around the world, the research and development sector must turn its focus to quality control. As with any food product, texture is paramount to consumer acceptance, and the inclusion of a novel ingredient in any product from a mainstream manufacturer must undergo research into the consequent alteration of texture, as well as taste and appearance.

Gummy to Gummy tack test using a Stable Micro Systems Texture Analyser 

An application study from Texture Technologies USA, ‘Cannabis Gummies Tested Four Ways’, looked into the measurement of edible cannabis gummies using a TA.XTplus Texture Analyser. As a popular delivery method for CBD as well as the more potent THC, quality and consistency will be important as firms begin to apply pharmaceutical grade quality standards to edible cannabis products. In this application study, four testing methods were used to quantify the firmness, toughness, adhesiveness and resilience of these products. These metrics quantify the textural experience of the gummies and how those metrics change as a function of packaging and extended storage. Find out more

Over in Finland, researchers from Åbo Akademi University have been investigating data-enriched edible pharmaceuticals (DEEP) of medical cannabis by inkjet printing. Medical cannabis has shown to be effective in various diseases that have not successfully been treated with other marketed drug products. However, the dose of cannabis is highly individual and medical cannabis is prone to misuse. To combat these challenges, the concept of DEEP is introduced. Quick Response code patterns containing lipophilic cannabinoids, i.e., CBT and THC, were printed using a desktop inkjet printer. Different doses of CBD and THC were incorporated in the DEEP by printing various layers of the cannabinoid-containing ink on porous substrates, i.e., solid foams. They used their TA.XTplus Texture Analyser to perform mechanical testing of samples. The printed DEEP were still readable after 8 weeks of storage in dry and cold conditions. This approach of ‘in-drug labeling’ instead of ‘drug package labeling’ provides a new possibility for developing a more efficient supply chain of pharmaceuticals. Read more

Published research into Texture Analysis of CBD-containing products has so far been minimal, but this area of research is set to flourish in coming years along with the growing market.

¹ https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/cbd_in_food

There is a Texture Analysis test for virtually any physical property. Contact Stable Micro Systems today to learn more about our full range of solutions.

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For more information on how to measure texture, please visit the Texture Analysis Properties section on our website.

The TA.XTplus texture analyser is part of a family of texture analysis instruments and equipment from Stable Micro Systems. An extensive portfolio of specialist attachments is available to measure and analyse the textural properties of a huge range of food products. Our technical experts can also custom design instrument fixtures according to individual specifications.

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