CO2 extraction vs cold pressed for CBD oil, Who is a Fake?

In the previous article “CO2 Extraction vs Cold Pressed: Which Is Better & 5 Reasons”, we discussed the following issues:

5 Key Reasons Why CO2 Extraction Is Better Than Cold Pressed
Cold-pressed vs CO2 extraction in CBD oil
Terpenes: A False Fact About CO2 Extraction vs. Cold Press Extraction

Today we will discuss “CO2 extraction vs cold pressed for CBD oil, Who is a Fake?”

The CO2 CBD crude oil contains all the essential parts of the hemp plant except for the actual plant material itself. CBD, minor cannabinoids, terpenes, fats, waxes, and lipids are all part of this viscous liquid. Crude oil extracted from a supercritical CO2 extraction machine will have an attractive, light color to it, especially compared to alcohol-extracted oil, which will have a dark, sludge-like appearance. CO2 cannabis extracts have been said to contain more beneficial compounds than the amount extracted from cannabis using other extraction methods. Read More: Cannabinoids Wikipedia

CO2 extraction

CO2 extraction is a non-toxic, environmentally-friendly method of separating cannabinoids from the cannabis plant. Supercritical CO2 is heated and passed through the cannabis buds. The liquid will pass through a separator to help remove the CO2 gas from the trichomes and terpenes, the gas is pushed through a condenser which allows the gas to liquefy again and be recycled so that it can be used for the extraction process in the future.

Cold-pressed CBD

We got such a message in the promotional materials of a CBD oil manufacturer: cold pressed CBD oil. Its extraction method is also published on its website: WHAT IS A COLD PRESSED CBD OIL (& WHY IS IT DIFFERENT TO CO2 EXTRACTION)?

After analyzing the company’s CBD oil extraction process and the characteristics of CBD oil, the common sense we have obtained is that CBD oil cannot be obtained through a cold pressing process, so their process is Is it true? Let’s first read this company’s information about the cold-pressed CBD oil process:

The most common method for producing CBD Oil is CO2 extraction. This involves heating CO2 to a state where it is both a liquid and a gas and using this as a solvent to extract the cannabinoids from the plant material.

Cold pressed hemp oils to require the hemp flowers to be crushed, squeezed, and mashed, and then the extract is washed with hemp seed oil (which does not contain any cannabinoids, but is super rich in Omega fatty acids). The temperature remains low throughout the whole process so the more delicate compounds are protected and a more naturally rounded oil is achieved.

This process is incredibly effective for selecting the perfect cannabinoid profile, but some people prefer a more artisanal approach to CBD. Cold pressed production method produces an unadulterated extract, and they contain all the naturally occurring cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids, which can offer an “entourage effect”.

Cold-pressed vs CO2 extraction in CBD oil

Cold pressing the flowering process ensures the cannabinoids are at a level you’d find in nature, and the oil contains all of the compounds that nature intended. This included raw acid cannabinoids (CBDa and CBGa), terpenes, and flavonoids. The synergistic effect of everything together cannot be overlooked (known as the entourage effect). The process is said to create a more natural, more beneficial, and healthier oil.

There is one major drawback with cold-pressing oils: The cold-press technique is typically reserved for fruits like citrus contained in the skin, therefore, it cannot be used effectively to extract CBD from Cannabis, the production will always result in a low concentration of cannabinoids. While many CBD oils on the market can contain up to 10% and 20 %mgs, cold-pressed oil is more realistically about 3-4% in concentration. The benefit is that the oils are way more synergistic, so you’re going to get more, with less.

So is the above cold pressing process of CBD oil true? Let’s take a look at another extraction process for essential oils: Maceration, It’s the same cold press process that the company claims:

Maceration

Macerated oils, also called infused oils, are carrier oils that have been used as a solvent to extract the therapeutic properties of a certain plant or plant. The process of maceration involves leaving plant material in a carrier oil (e.g. sunflower or almond oil) for some time until the oil takes on the scent or the quality of the plant.
The ideal plant material to be infused will be harvested so that it is as dry as possible, as any plant moisture will cause the oil to become rancid and will encourage microbial growth.

Harvest plant material and make sure that it’s as dry as possible and chop the plants as finely as possible. Clean an airtight container and fill it with your chopped plants. Pour the oil over the top and make sure that all of the plant material is covered by the oil. The mixture is allowed to stand for 1 week and is shaken occasionally. Strain the spent plant material through some muslin cloth, or a very fine sieve, into a container. In this time the plant material has lost its color and likely the oil has changed color – depending on what plants are infusing.

So-called cold-pressed CBD oil vs. macerated CBD oil:

Yes, it’s the same extraction process: Cannabis is dried, chopped, steeped in oil, and finally filtered.

Then we concluded that the so-called cold-pressed CBD oil on the market is the CBD oil obtained by maceration.

The essential oil obtained by the maceration method is generally used for topical spice essential oils and is not edible, so this form of CBD oil is also the same and should be used in electronic cigarettes. Yes, it can only be used for electronic cigarettes. Compared with the process of extracting CBD oil with CO2, it has one less step: decarboxylation—activation of CBD and THC.

Final words

There is no cold-pressed CBD oil on the market that the company claims, and they don’t use even a little pressure; only CBD oil is obtained by maceration.

The CBD oil obtained by the maceration method can only be used externally and is not recommended for consumption. Moreover, it has not undergone a decarboxylation process to activate CBD. It can even be said that it is not CBD oil, it should be CBDA oil.