[Gray Wolf]

In my research for articles included in our new blog site launch, I found errors in my previous understanding of what was being extracted in cannabis essential oils, because we aren't typically testing for them.

Not only was I mildly embarrassed by finding out I’ve repeatedly misspelled the word anthocyanin as anthrocyannin on multiple forums around the world, but deeply embarrassed to learn I ’de accepted some things at face value without adequate vetting, and thus missed some important clues as to where all the color comes from in a cannabis essential oil extraction.

We are extracting a range of molecules starting with the C-10 monoterpenes, some with accompanying C-5 fractions, through C-55 Chlorophyll and Pheophytin.

To better understand where we are picking up color, let’s look at their individual colors and nature.

For the most part the monoterpenes are colorless, but when we reach the C-15 Sesqui-terpenes we find some color and that is also where we find the water soluble anthocyanin color pigments/glucosides/flavonoids, which have vivid colors.

The C-21 &22 Cannabinoids range from white to light yellow, so don’t add much color, and the about ~C-30 plant waxes are light beige, which serves to cloud and occlude light as opposed to adding to the brown.

Here we come to some powerful color sources, starting with non polar C-40 beta Carotene, which is yellow to red in color, the fall colors that emblazon Ma Nature in the fall.

Followed by polar C-55 Chlorophyll which is vivid green, and not attractive to non polar LPG, but its byproduct of decomposition non polar Pheophytin, which is olive brown, is attractive to non polar solvents like LPG.

Sooo, the last paragraph explains in part why older material non polar LPG extractions are darker, because they do readily extract non polar pheophytin, even though they didn’t much polar chlorophyll.

The water solubility of the C-15 anthocyanin/glucosides/flavonoids also explains how freezing ties them up and minimizes their extraction, as well as why polar miscible alcohol is more effective extracting them.

Up to this point we haven’t discussed beta Carotene, but no new news on why -30 to -70C reduces its extraction rate, thus lightening the extraction.

Also no new news on why subzero reduces polar chlorophyll pickup, as when water is present, it is tied up in ice. The same would be true of non-polar Pheophytin if water is still present, but consider what there is keeping the non-polar solvent away from the non-polar Pheophytin once the material is fully desiccated, so that there is no ice regardless of the low temperature.

That suggests that rehydrating the material some before freezing it may prove beneficial, so we will be following up with that experiment and expanding on it more both here and in our TAR blog site.

[Gray Wolf]

Mmmm, no comment!

I suppose we will see how confident he is that he can compete against us, without stacking the deck.

[HashoftheTitans]

Another source for unwanted color happens after extraction... Oxidation. Not many people discuss the fact that extended exposure to ethanol encourages oxidation. Many distillate producers use sodium sulfite, which is used in the beer and wine industry to reduce oxidation, during winterization.

[Gray Wolf]

Originally Posted by HashoftheTitans

Another source for unwanted color happens after extraction... Oxidation. Not many people discuss the fact that extended exposure to ethanol encourages oxidation. Many distillate producers use sodium sulfite, which is used in the beer and wine industry to reduce oxidation, during winterization.

You can also caramelize plant sugars with heat,

[prune]

Originally Posted by HashoftheTitans

Another source for unwanted color happens after extraction... Oxidation. Not many people discuss the fact that extended exposure to ethanol encourages oxidation. Many distillate producers use sodium sulfite, which is used in the beer and wine industry to reduce oxidation, during winterization.

it's not the ethanol, it's that pesky miscible water content that the alcohol drags with it...

[Gray Wolf]

Originally Posted by prune

it's not the ethanol, it's that pesky miscible water content that the alcohol drags with it...

As well as water solubles dragged along.

[Gray Wolf]

Originally Posted by Simplemd369

Short answer, no balls!

Not as much brass in them as when I was an adolescent, leading us to a discussion of this adolescent conversation.

I'm not your mama, fight your own battles, this conversation is over.

Any interest in color?

[gaiusmarius]

thread cleaned up.

we won't have this turn into some personal feuding and washing laundry in public.

the troll should consider this the one and only warning on this issue

[Patmando22]

Dose this lead to fresh frozen being lighter because of the moisture content giving it the ability to lock the water saluable contamination in the ice

[Gray Wolf]

Originally Posted by Patmando22

Dose this lead to fresh frozen being lighter because of the moisture content giving it the ability to lock the water saluable contamination in the ice

That is part of it. The other part is that dissolution slows down as the temperature falls, but slows down for longer heavier molecules more than the lighter ones.