Methods of modifying a naturally occurring cannabis raw plant material, a purified cannabis product from a naturally occurring cannabis raw plant material, and a modified cannabis product from a naturally occurring cannabis raw plant material
A method of modifying a naturally occurring Cannabis raw plant material, a purified Cannabis product from a naturally occurring Cannabis raw plant material, and a modified Cannabis product from a naturally occurring Cannabis raw plant material. The method includes selectively extracting at least some volatile organic compounds from a naturally occurring Cannabis raw plant material. At least some of a naturally occurring potential cannabinoid content in the Cannabis raw plant material is retained after removal of the at least some of the volatile organic compounds as well as substantially all of the physical structure of the Cannabis raw plant material.
1 . A method of modifying a naturally occurring Cannabis raw plant material, the method comprising:
selectively extracting at least some volatile organic compounds from a naturally occurring Cannabis raw plant material,
wherein at least some of a naturally occurring potential cannabinoid content in the Cannabis raw plant material is retained after removal of the at least some of the volatile organic compounds.
2 . The method of modifying a naturally occurring Cannabis raw plant material according to claim 1 , wherein the at least some volatile organic compounds are selectively extracted by controlling a pressure in a variable-pressure steam extraction apparatus.
3 . The method of modifying a naturally occurring Cannabis raw plant material according to claim 2 , wherein reducing the pressure decreases the boiling point of the at least some volatile organic compounds in the variable-pressure steam extraction apparatus.
4 . The method of modifying a naturally occurring Cannabis raw plant material according to claim 2 , wherein increasing the pressure increases the boiling point of the at least some volatile organic compounds in the variable-pressure steam extraction apparatus.
5 . The method of modifying a naturally occurring Cannabis raw plant material according to claim 2 , wherein the pressure in the variable-pressure steam extraction apparatus is set to be in a range of 0.0001 to 100 bar.
6 . The method of modifying a naturally occurring Cannabis raw plant material according to claim 2 , wherein the pressure in the variable-pressure steam extraction apparatus is set to be in a range of 0.001 to 15 bar.
7 . The method of modifying a naturally occurring Cannabis raw plant material according to claim 2 , wherein the pressure in the variable-pressure steam extraction apparatus is set to be in a range of 0.001 to 0.99 bar.
8 . The method of modifying a naturally occurring Cannabis raw plant material according to claim 2 , wherein the variable-pressure steam extraction apparatus is a superheating steam extraction apparatus.
9 . The method of modifying a naturally occurring Cannabis raw plant material according to claim 1 , further comprising recovering and drying the Cannabis raw plant material after removal of the at least some volatile organic compounds to form a purified Cannabis product.
10 . The method of modifying a naturally occurring Cannabis raw plant material according to claim 9 , further comprising adding at least one volatile organic compound to the purified Cannabis product to form a modified Cannabis product.
11 . The method of modifying a naturally occurring Cannabis raw plant material according to claim 1 , wherein the at least some volatile organic compounds are selectively extracted by hydrodistillation.
12 . The method of modifying a naturally occurring Cannabis raw plant material according to claim 1 , wherein the at least some volatile organic compounds are selectively extracted by genetically modifying the naturally occurring Cannabis raw plant material.
13 . The method of modifying a naturally occurring Cannabis raw plant material according to claim 1 , wherein the at least some volatile organic compounds are selectively extracted by selectively breeding the naturally occurring Cannabis raw plant material.
14 . The method of modifying a naturally occurring Cannabis raw plant material according to claim 1 , wherein the at least some volatile organic compounds include an unsaturated hydrocarbon.
15 . The method of modifying a naturally occurring Cannabis raw plant material according to claim 1 , wherein the at least some volatile organic compounds include a saturated hydrocarbon.
16 . The method of modifying a naturally occurring Cannabis raw plant material according to claim 1 , wherein the at least some volatile organic compounds includes at least one thiol compound.
17 . The method of modifying a naturally occurring Cannabis raw plant material according to claim 16 , wherein the at least one thiol compound is at least one compound selected from the group consisting of 3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol, 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one, 3-mercaptohexan-1-ol and 3-mercaptohexyl acetate.
18 . The method of modifying a naturally occurring Cannabis raw plant material according to claim 17 , wherein the at least one thiol compound is 3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol.
19 . The method of modifying a naturally occurring Cannabis raw plant material according to claim 1 , wherein at least some of a naturally occurring physical structure in the Cannabis raw plant material is retained after removal of the at least some of the volatile organic compounds.
20 . The method of modifying a naturally occurring Cannabis raw plant material according to claim 1 , wherein the at least some of the naturally occurring potential cannabinoid content in the Cannabis raw plant material is retained such that the purified Cannabis product can be at least one of (i) consumed, (ii) ingested, and (iii) combusted and inhaled, in a manner similar to the naturally occurring Cannabis raw plant material under similar conditions.
21 . A purified Cannabis product from a naturally occurring Cannabis raw plant material, the purified Cannabis product comprising:
cannabinoids; and
a reduced amount of volatile organic compounds relative to the Cannabis raw plant material,
wherein at least one thiol compound has been removed from the Cannabis raw plant material to form the purified Cannabis product, and
at least some of a naturally occurring potential cannabinoid content in the Cannabis raw plant material is retained in the purified Cannabis product after removal of the at least one thiol compound.
22 . A modified Cannabis product from a naturally occurring Cannabis raw plant material, the modified Cannabis product comprising:
cannabinoids; and
at least one volatile organic compound,
wherein at least some volatile organic compounds have been removed from the Cannabis raw plant material to form a purified Cannabis product,
at least one volatile organic compound has been added to the purified Cannabis product to form the modified Cannabis product, and
at least some of a naturally occurring cannabinoid content of the Cannabis raw plant material is retained in the purified Cannabis product after removal of the at least one thiol compound.
23 . A method of extracting at least some volatile organic compounds from a naturally occurring Cannabis raw plant material, the method comprising:
adjusting a pressure of a variable-pressure steam extraction apparatus based on a boiling point of at least one volatile organic compound in the naturally occurring Cannabis raw plant material; and
selectively extracting the at least some volatile organic compounds from the naturally occurring Cannabis raw plant material in the variable-pressure steam extraction apparatus by operating the variable-pressure steam extraction apparatus at the pressure.
24 . The method of extracting at least one volatile organic compound according to claim 23 , wherein reducing the pressure decreases the boiling point of the at least some volatile organic compounds in the variable-pressure steam extraction apparatus.
25 . The method of extracting at least one volatile organic compound according to claim 23 , wherein increasing the pressure increases the boiling point of the at least some volatile organic compounds in the variable-pressure steam extraction apparatus.
26 . The method of extracting at least one volatile organic compound according to claim 23 , wherein the pressure in the variable-pressure steam extraction apparatus is adjusted to be in a range of 0.0001 to 100 bar.
27 . The method of extracting at least one volatile organic compound according to claim 23 , wherein the pressure in the variable-pressure steam extraction apparatus is adjusted to be in a range of 0.001 to 15 bar.
28 . The method of extracting at least one volatile organic compound according to claim 23 , wherein the pressure in the variable-pressure steam extraction apparatus is adjusted to be in a range of 0.001 to 0.99 bar.