Methods of heating cannabis plant material
The present invention includes a method of drying Cannabis plant material generally comprising exposing the Cannabis plant material to infrared radiation emitted from an infrared heater, such as a catalytic gas heater, the radiation having a wavelength of from about 3 to about 10 microns; and heating the Cannabis plant material to a temperature of from about 100° F. to about 400° F.
1. A method of drying a cannabis plant material comprising an untrimmed, freshly harvested cannabis plant or at least one of an intact leaf, stalk, stem, flower, or bud of a freshly harvested cannabis plant, the method comprising:
exposing the cannabis plant material to infrared radiation emitted from an infrared heater, the radiation having a wavelength of from about 3 to about 10 microns; and
heating the cannabis plant material to a temperature of from about 100° F. to about 400° F.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cannabis plant material is exposed to the infrared radiation for a period of time such that less than 25% of a cannabinoid compound in the cannabis plant material is decarboxylated.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the cannabinoid compound comprises cannabidiolic acid (CBDA).
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the cannabinoid compound comprises tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA).
5. The method of claim 1 , further including a step of circulating air over the cannabis plant material.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the infrared heater is a catalytic gas heater operating at a gas pressure allowing heater output from 50% to 100% of rated power.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method does not comprise actively controlling the humidity of the air around the cannabis plant material while being exposed to the infrared radiation.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cannabis plant material does not exceed 180° F. during the heating step.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heating step comprises removing at least 10% of the moisture content from the cannabis plant material.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cannabis plant material is exposed to the infrared radiation for a period of time such that more than 75% of a cannabinoid compound in the cannabis plant material is decarboxylated.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the cannabis plant material reaches a temperature of at least 285° F. during the heating step.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the cannabis plant material is exposed to the infrared radiation for at least 3 minutes.
13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the infrared heater is a catalytic gas heater operating at a gas pressure that allows heater output to vary from 50% to 100% of rated power.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein, prior to exposing the cannabis plant material to infrared radiation, the cannabis plant material is water cured for about 1 to about 10 hours.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein heating the cannabis plant material volatilizes water and terpenes from the cannabis plant material, the method further comprising condensing at least a portion of the water and terpenes.
16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising extracting and recovering the terpenes from the water.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cannabis plant material is heated while in a cool or refrigerated environment having a temperature below about 70° F.
18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising cooling the cannabis plant material to a temperature of from about 40° F. to about 90° F. and subsequently heating the cannabis plant material to a temperature of from about 100° F. to about 400° F.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is capable of reducing the levels of E. Coli, Salmonella , Aflatoxin, and/or Ochratoxin below the detectable limits.
20. A method of decarboxylating a cannabinoid compound contained within a cannabis plant material comprising an untrimmed cannabis plant or at least one of an intact leaf, stalk, stem, flower, or bud of a cannabis plant, the method comprising:
exposing the cannabis plant material to infrared radiation emitted from an infrared heater, the radiation having a wavelength of from about 3 to about 10 microns; and
heating the cannabis plant material to a temperature of at least 200° F. for a sufficient time so as to decarboxylate at least 50% of the cannabinoid compound contained within the cannabis plant material.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the cannabinoid compound comprises cannabidiolic acid (CBDA).
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein at least 75% of the CBDA present within the cannabis plant material is decarboxylated into cannabidiol (CBD).
23. The method of claim 20 , wherein the cannabinoid compound comprises tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA).
24. The method of claim 23 , wherein at least 75% of the THCA within the cannabis plant material is decarboxylated into tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
25. A method of drying a cannabis plant material comprising an untrimmed, freshly harvested cannabis plant or at least one of an intact leaf, stalk, stem, flower, or bud of a freshly harvested cannabis plant while reducing the incidence of decarboxylation of a cannabinoid compound contained within the cannabis plant material, the method comprising:
exposing the cannabis plant material to infrared radiation emitted from an infrared heater, the radiation having a wavelength of from about 3 to about 10 microns; and
heating the cannabis plant material to a temperature of from about 100° F. to about 160° F. to produce a dried cannabis plant material,
wherein the dried cannabis plant material has a ratio of the cannabinoid compound to the decarboxylated cannabinoid compound of at least 2:1.
26. The method of claim 25 , further including a step of circulating air over the cannabis plant material and not requiring a step of actively controlling the humidity of the air around the cannabis plant material.
27. The method of claim 25 , wherein the cannabis plant material is exposed for a duration of time such that a moisture water content loss is at least 7.5%.