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Is Irradiation Causing Inflated THC Percentages and Microseeds?

Delta 9

Delta 9

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https://stratcann.com/news/new-sens...ion-could-degrade-cannabis-quality-over-time/

A key finding was the accelerated degradation of total THC in the irradiated sample, which the study says showed a 9.67% decline compared to a minimal 0.79% decline in the non-irradiated control.

Microseeds were also said to be found in the irradiated sample after six months, a phenomenon the authors suggest aligns with post-irradiation tissue instability observed in other botanicals. While the irradiated sample’s aroma scores remained high, its flavour initially lagged behind the control.

They argue that relying solely on THC percentages, especially when irradiation can artificially inflate initial readings, provides a misleading picture of product quality and can distort market pricing. Saying nothing about 36%donkey butter 😉
 
S.O.H™ said:
There lays the loop-hole. Quite, obviously, blatantly, misleading us u[ the garden path, the consumer, for profits!
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Theres no one shouting about it , at least canada usa and germany has the organisational skills to grow their own. We are stuck with this.
 
Cannabis production remediation techniques are methods employed to remove contaminants—such as microbes, mold, pesticides, or heavy metals—from harvested cannabis plant material or extracts to ensure safety compliance and product quality. These methods are crucial because contaminated products are unusable and often fail strict regulatory standards.

Microbial and Mold Remediation (Harvested Flower)
Ozone Treatment: Uses ozone gas in a sealed chamber to penetrate deep into cannabis flowers, neutralizing mould, mildew, and bacteria while preserving the product's structure.
UV-C Light: Utilizes ultraviolet light to kill surface-level mold spores, providing a non-invasive way to maintain safety.
Cold Plasma: An innovative method that uses ionized gas at low temperatures to destroy harmful microbes without significant changes to the plant's natural properties.
Radio Frequency Microbial Control: A consumer-safe thermal process that uses radio frequency energy to target and eliminate microorganisms, maintaining product quality.
CryoPasteurization™ Technology: A pharmaceutical-grade, low-temperature, or specialized decontamination process designed to reduce microbes while preserving delicate terpenes and cannabinoids.
SteriGreen™ Technology: Employs low-temperature hydrogen peroxide vaporization (HPV) specifically to reduce fungal and bacterial loads in cannabis inflorescence.

Pesticide Remediation (Extracts and Concentrates)
Pesticides often concentrate in extracts 10 times more than in the raw flower, requiring specialized removal techniques.

Adsorbent Filtration (Scrubbing): Activated carbon, bentonite clay, silica, alumina, and magnesium silicate (Florisil/MagSil-PR) are used to bind and remove pesticide molecules.
Flash Chromatography: A highly effective technical method where the extract moves through a stationary phase (filter media) in a column, separating pesticides from cannabinoids.
Color Remediation Column (CRC) Technology: A specific form of filtration that removes undesirable colors, chlorophyll, and impurities, often using media like activated charcoal and silica gel to produce clearer, higher-quality extracts.
Distillation: Short-path or wiped-film distillation is used to remove residual solvents and improve the purity of oils, acting as a finishing step after adsorbent filtration.
Crystallization (Isolation): A technique that separates contaminants by inducing crystallization of cannabinoids (like CBD or THCA), leaving pesticides behind in the mother liquor.

Best Practices to Reduce Need for Remediation
Optimal Cultivation: Growing in controlled, hygienic environments (e.g., in clean living soil or hydroponics) can prevent the need for post-harvest remediation, which is often considered ideal.
Environmental Control: Proper humidity, temperature, and airflow during drying and curing prevent the development of mold.

Re-testing and Safety
No remediation process is complete without analytical laboratory testing (e.g., LC-MS/MS or GC-MS/MS) to ensure the final product is free from contaminants and complies with safety standards
 
For my first script I got 3 x 10g bags of non irradiated flower, I've done plenty of reading about the treatments and negative effects and aren't sure about it, in another life my plants would be fed just water for their last couple of weeks, they'd be dried and cured in 'whatnot' jars burped from time to time and it was decent 'erb (mostly), so I'm wary of irradiation, but have seen a herb in the pharmacy I use, cheap, 30% THC but gamma irradiated, which made me look at the full flower selection and there's a lot more choice.

Anyone fancy explaining this shizzle to me slowly, and in simple terms please? :D
 
Grumbleweed said:
For my first script I got 3 x 10g bags of non irradiated flower, I've done plenty of reading about the treatments and negative effects and aren't sure about it, in another life my plants would be fed just water for their last couple of weeks, they'd be dried and cured in 'whatnot' jars burped from time to time and it was decent 'erb (mostly), so I'm wary of irradiation, but have seen a herb in the pharmacy I use, cheap, 30% THC but gamma irradiated, which made me look at the full flower selection and there's a lot more choice.

Anyone fancy explaining this shizzle to me slowly, and in simple terms please? :D
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I'm by no means an expert but:

All med flo has had somekind of remediation.

Key Differences: Safety & Microbial Load: Irradiated cannabis guarantees lower microbial levels, meeting strict pharmaceutical standards. It is safer for those with weakened immune systems.
Terpenes and Taste: Irradiated flower can have degraded terpenes (the aromatic compounds), often resulting in a less intense taste or "muted" aroma. Non-irradiated flowers are typically fresher and more aromatic.

Appearance: Intense, high-dose irradiation can sometimes damage trichomes, although low-level, properly applied irradiation (like e-beam) may have minimal effect.
Cannabinoids (THC/CBD): Evidence suggests that irradiation does not significantly alter the key cannabinoids like -tetrahydrocannabinol (-THC) or cannabidiol (CBD).

Shelf Life: Irradiated products often have a longer shelf life.

Which one to choose?
  1. Choose Irradiated for guaranteed safety if you are immunocompromised or have severe respiratory issues.
  2. Choose Non-Irradiated for a better, more "natural" aroma and flavor, provided the producer has high, clean-growing standards
S.O.H™ Consultancy Agency

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Irradiation is done post-harvest. It may be done post dry but before trim and cure, not sure. Would make sense as they use the trim for products.

imho generally transit times have a greater negative effect on flos than irradiation. There are very few independent peer reviewed research docs around on terp/quality loss by various remediation methods, a while ago I found one from India where they concluded beta and gamma did not cause degradation, unless incorrectly operated.
 
In my experience powdery mildew i had with some non irradiated flower but it might have been treated post harvest with other remediation practices.
Beta i see mostly as a precautionary benefit post harvest as i would opt for this if i cant have a low enough microbial count to not irradiate it.
Gamma i see it as something must have gone wrong to use gamma , i will say this is not the case for all gamma but i see it as used as a cropsaver.

Gamma i will guess is mostly outdoor or greenhouse / Hybrid grow style with a higher microbial count by not being sterile.
 
Delta 9 said:
In my experience powdery mildew i had with some non irradiated flower but it might have been treated post harvest with other remediation practices.
Beta i see mostly as a precautionary benefit post harvest as i would opt for this if i cant have a low enough microbial count to not irradiate it.
Gamma i see it as something must have gone wrong to use gamma , i will say this is not the case for all gamma but i see it as used as a cropsaver.

Gamma i will guess is mostly outdoor or greenhouse / Hybrid grow style with a higher microbial count by not being sterile.
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Gamma is used on denser buds and beta on the fluffier buds that need less penetration
New post automatically merged:

Beyond Irradiation: Remediation Methods, E-Beam, Gamma and What You Should Know – Dalgety

dalgetyuk.co.uk dalgetyuk.co.uk
 
Thanks y'all :D I'm pulling less of a face!

'Crop saver'? They'd not try save bud rot infested buds or that sort of nasty? No irradiated spider mite?
 
Grumbleweed said:
Thanks y'all :D I'm pulling less of a face!

'Crop saver'? They'd not try save bud rot infested buds or that sort of nasty? No irradiated spider mite?
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🕷️
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SOMETIMES IGNORANCE IS BLISS, AS IN THIS CASE, END LOL NEW TOPIC...AND DISCUSS
 
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Yeah right, I'm suspicious of new things, and can't remember buying irradiated food, so I'm suspicious of the reasoning behind it.

Swings and roundabouts really as avoiding irradiated weed limits one's choice.
 
Grumbleweed said:
Yeah right, I'm suspicious of new things, and can't remember buying irradiated food, so I'm suspicious of the reasoning behind it.

Swings and roundabouts really as avoiding irradiated weed limits one's choice.
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sounds like they use these techniques to mask mistakes m8
 
NuggetofGreen said:
Gamma is used on denser buds and beta on the fluffier buds that need less penetration
New post automatically merged:

Beyond Irradiation: Remediation Methods, E-Beam, Gamma and What You Should Know – Dalgety

dalgetyuk.co.uk dalgetyuk.co.uk
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Thats the good side to it just lowering microbial activity with heavier penetration. Bad side is mold fungi crops having to be irradiated with gamma to clean crops up cos beta couldnt.
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Grumbleweed said:
Yeah right, I'm suspicious of new things, and can't remember buying irradiated food, so I'm suspicious of the reasoning behind it.

Swings and roundabouts really as avoiding irradiated weed limits one's choice.
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Dont limit yourself i trust beta over non irradiated due to bad couple of bits that had powdery mildew smell. Beta has some good bits and i am sure gamma has but at least look into beta side and try a few , may well could be healthier than some non irradiated and if a strain you really want to get is gamma then maybe give it a try.
 
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I think there's an OU course for studying this topic, surely?
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theres also freeze-dried remediation processes, be warned weary young traveller and set true path to happyness and fruitful lands
 
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