If you aren’t aware, there are a variety of methods to extract CBD oil. Some of these methods are safe, but quite a few of them use toxic chemicals that are harmful to consumers. Many other methods will produce CBD oil which is lacking in purity or is in some other way inferior. Of all these different methods one stands out as the only method that is both safe and ensures the ultimate purity of the product, that method is CO2 extraction.
More commonly known as the supercritical CO2 extraction method, this process uses a combination of high-pressure CO2 and freezing temperature to extract the CBD from the hemp plant. The CO2 is compressed until it reaches approximately 10,000 psi. Cold temperatures are used to keep the CO2 at this extreme level of compression until it is time for extraction. At the right time, the CO2 is warmed up and sent through the hemp plant using a closed loop extractor. As a result, the oil is extracted, and none of the heat-sensitive properties of the plant are harmed.
With its lack of harmful chemicals and the ability to maintain the purity of the CBD, the CO2 extraction is the best method of extraction. The only major issue with this process is the expense. CO2 extraction requires costly equipment; this equipment requires a high level of expertise to operate thus increasing the costs further. Cheaper methods exist and, as I’ve already stated, many of those methods require harmful chemicals. These chemicals can include ethanol, propane, butane, etc. There are safer methods that are inexpensive such as using heated olive oil however these methods often result in a loss of potency.
No matter how one looks at it, CO2 extraction may be expensive, but it is a safe and effective way of ensuring a company produces only the highest quality of CBD products. Always try to find products that were made using CO2 extraction, they may be more expensive, but ultimately you are paying for a far superior product.
