New Mexico Cannabis Orientation
Handling and storing cannabis products, especially when it comes to different categories like flower, edibles, concentrates, and oils, requires specific care to maintain quality and ensure safety.
Flower Handling and Storage
Cannabis flower is sensitive to light, temperature, and humidity. Proper handling is essential to maintain its potency, flavor, and shelf life. Here are key points:
Cool, Dark Storage: Cannabis flower should always be stored in a cool, dark place, ideally in temperatures between 60-70°F. This prevents the breakdown of cannabinoids like THC and CBD, which can degrade in light or heat.
Humidity Control: The optimal humidity range for flower is 55-62%. Too much moisture can lead to mold, while too little can dry out the product, causing it to lose potency and flavor. Many dispensaries use humidity control packs within sealed containers to maintain the correct balance.
Minimal Handling: Always avoid handling flower directly with bare hands. Oils from the skin can degrade the trichomes, the tiny crystals on the flower that hold the cannabinoids and terpenes. Use gloves or sanitized utensils when transferring or displaying flower.
Food-Grade Containers: Store cannabis flower in food-grade containers to ensure no unwanted contaminants come in contact with the product.
Temperature-Controlled Products
Cannabis products like edibles, concentrates, and infused oils require temperature-controlled storage to preserve their integrity. These products are more sensitive to environmental conditions and, if mishandled, can spoil, leak, or lose their effectiveness.
Edibles: Products like gummies, chocolates, or tinctures often require refrigeration or storage in a cool, dry place. They should be stored at a consistent temperature, usually around 35-45°F for products that are heat-sensitive. Ensure that packaging is sealed tightly to avoid moisture or contamination.
Concentrates: For products like live resin, wax, and rosin, refrigeration or keeping them in a cool, dark space is essential to prevent degradation. Extreme temperatures can cause concentrates to melt or harden, affecting their consistency and potency.
Storage Containers: Always use airtight, food-safe containers for temperature-sensitive products, and ensure they are stored upright to prevent leaks or spills, particularly with liquid-based products like tinctures or certain concentrates. Keeping products upright not only helps preserve their consistency but also avoids damaging packaging, which can affect the product’s stability and marketability.
Avoiding Contamination and Leakage
Keep Products Upright: For liquid concentrates, tinctures, and other oil-based products, always store them upright to prevent leaks. Even small amounts of product leakage can create sanitation issues, damage other products, and cause financial loss.
Regular Checks: Make it a habit to regularly check on temperature-controlled units, ensuring that products are stored properly and that no spills or leaks have occurred.
FIFO for All Products
Just as with flower, temperature-controlled products must also follow First In, First Out (FIFO) principles. Rotate stock so that older products are sold first, ensuring nothing passes its expiration date. If a product does expire, it must be pulled from the shelves and scheduled for destruction.
Security and Overnight Storage
All products, especially THC-containing items, must be securely stored in a locked safe overnight, regardless of the type of product. This applies equally to flower and temperature-controlled products. Ensuring secure storage prevents unauthorized access and complies with regulatory standards.
Handling and storage of cannabis products are as important as the growing process itself. Each product type—whether it’s flower, concentrates, or edibles—has unique storage and handling needs that ensure its quality, potency, and safety are preserved from production to sale.