Size matters in drug delivery and a nanoemulsion is the most versatile colloidal delivery system the world has ever seen. It's considered the gold standard for food and beverage formulations infused with cannabinoids like Delta-9 THC (D9). Le Herbe is happy to introduce the world's first grading system for cannabis nanoemulsions. This grading system has been in the works for 7 years and is a collaboration between industry and university. We gathered a wide variety of perspectives including connoisseurs, growers, processors, food scientists, chemists, engineers, and much more. We considered numerous grading factors, but ultimately came up with 12 categories as a starting point. Each category is weighted by the individual item, available options, category consideration, formulation consideration, and final product conditions.
We invite you to sit down with your team, go through each category, add up the item points in each of the 12 categories, and double / triple check your numbers. If you don't see a check mark or numerical value for an item then put zero and move on to the next item / category. You can rate your cannabis nanoemulsion as Grade A, B, C, D, F or special grades for those few. Grade F is the lowest quality and may not be safe for human consumption. Version 1.0 is the first iteration and will be fine tuned until perfected.
Contact us today if you would like to add a category, add an item, exclude an item, change a rating, or want to have a conversation about the world's first nanoemulsion grading system (alcohol free). Share with your friends or colleagues and let's make better cannabis products together.
Version 1.5
Start Here
Cannabis Source | + 5 | + 4 | + 3 | + 2 | + 1 |
Sun Grown (Outdoor) | |||||
Hydroponic (Indoor) | |||||
Biosynthesis (Yeast) | |||||
Cannabis Extract | + 5 | + 4 | + 3 | + 2 | + 1 |
Hash Rosin | |||||
Live Rosin | |||||
Isolate | |||||
Live Resin | |||||
Badder | |||||
Distillate | |||||
Shatter | |||||
Extract Analysis | + 5 | + 4 | + 3 | + 2 | + 1 |
CoA (Full Panel) | |||||
CoA (Potency + Microbiology) | |||||
CoA (Potency Only) | |||||
Registered Lab (DEA) | |||||
Accredited Lab (ISO17025) | |||||
Non-Accredited Lab | |||||
Purity | + 99% | 99-95% | 95-90% | 90-80% | 80-70% |
Carrier Oil | + 5 | + 4 | + 3 | + 2 | + 1 |
LCT + Flavor Oil | |||||
LCT | |||||
LCT + MCT + Flavor Oil | |||||
LCT + MCT | |||||
MCT + Flavor Oil | |||||
Emulsifiers | + 5 | + 4 | + 3 | + 2 | + 1 |
Lecithins | |||||
Proteins | |||||
Polysorbates | |||||
Esters | |||||
Gums | |||||
Processing | + 5 | + 4 | + 3 | + 2 | + 1 |
Microfluidics | |||||
High Pressure | |||||
Sonication | |||||
Rotor-Stator | |||||
Combo | |||||
Taste the Emulsion | + 5 | + 4 | + 3 | + 2 | + 1 |
Flavorless | |||||
Umami | |||||
Sweet / Sour | |||||
Salty | |||||
Bitter | |||||
Lab Analysis | + 5 | + 4 | + 3 | + 2 | + 1 |
DLS | |||||
D50 | < 40nm | 40-75nm | 75-100nm | 100-150nm | 150-200nm |
D90 | < 40nm | 40-75nm | 75-100nm | 100-150nm | 150-200nm |
PDI | < 0.05 | 0.05 - 0.1 | 0.1 - 0.2 | 0.2 - 0.3 | 0.4 - 0.5 |
EE | + 95% | 94-90% | 89-85% | 84-80% | 79-75% |
TEM | |||||
ELS | |||||
Zeta Potential (pH 3) | ± 40mV + | ± 39-35mV | ± 34-30mV | ± 29-25mV | ± 24-20mV |
Zeta Potential (pH 7) | ± 40mV + | ± 39-35mV | ± 34-30mV | ± 29-25mV | ± 24-20mV |
Bio Analysis | + 5 | + 4 | + 3 | + 2 | + 1 |
In Vitro | |||||
In Silico | |||||
In Vivo (Humans) | |||||
In Vivo (Animals) | |||||
In Vitro + In Vivo | |||||
In Silico + In Vivo | |||||
Bioaccessibility (Vitro/Silico) | + 85% | 84-75% | 74-65% | 64-55% | 54-49% |
Bioavailability (Vivo) | + 85% | 84-75% | 74-65% | 64-55% | 54-49% |
Packaging | + 5 | + 4 | + 3 | + 2 | + 1 |
Stick Pack / Sachet (Powder) | |||||
Aluminum Can | |||||
Plastic Bottle (Opaque) | |||||
Plastic Bottle (Translucent) | |||||
Plastic Bottle (Transparent) | |||||
Glass Bottle (Opaque) | |||||
Glass Bottle (Translucent) | |||||
Glass Bottle (Transparent) | |||||
Tincture (w dropper) | |||||
Filling | + 5 | + 4 | + 3 | + 2 | + 1 |
Filling (Automated) | |||||
Filling (Semi-Automated) | |||||
Filling (Hand Filled) | |||||
Headspace (LN2) | |||||
Headspace (CO2) | |||||
Headspace (O2) | |||||
Storage | + 5 | + 4 | + 3 | + 2 | + 1 |
Inside / Dark (< 50° F) | |||||
Inside / Dark (50-60° F) | |||||
Inside / Dark (60-75° F) | |||||
Inside / Light (< 50° F) | |||||
Inside / Light (50-60° F) | |||||
Inside / Light (60-75° F) |