However, for those looking to buy rare cannabinoids, a closer look at the impurity profiles of plant-derived vs. synthesized cannabinoids tells a different story. When safety and consistency are essential, synthesized rare cannabinoids offer significant advantages, particularly in terms of purity and the reduction of unknown contaminants.
This blog post will explore how different extraction and synthesis methods impact cannabinoid impurity profiles, as revealed on third-party Certificates of Analysis (COAs). We’ll debunk the myth that “natural” automatically means purer and show why synthesized cannabinoids are safe, using real-world examples of THCV COAs from third-party labs.
Understanding Impurity Profiles in Rare Cannabinoids
In the cannabinoid industry, purity refers to the percentage of the final product made up of the prominent cannabinoid. For instance, if a THCV ingredient has 99% purity, that means 99% of the material is THCV, while the remaining 1% consists of other compounds.
These “other compounds” may include:
- Residual solvents from the extraction process
- By-products from synthesis or semi-synthesis (from hemp-derived starting materials)
- Residual starting materials
- Trace amounts of other cannabinoids
- Unknown substances that haven’t been fully identified
In high-purity cannabinoid ingredients, even this small amount of impurities should be carefully monitored to ensure safety and consistency.
Types of Impurities
Impurities can be categorized into two types:
- Known impurities: These include trace cannabinoids or minor by-products that can be identified and may not be concerning, as well as residual solvents, pesticides, and heavy metals, which clearly may pose safety issues.
- Unknown impurities: These are substances that can’t be easily identified, raising potential safety concerns.
Maintaining high purity is critical for ensuring cannabinoid products work as expected without unwanted effects. Fewer impurities also reduce the risk of side effects or quality issues.
Impurities in Plant-derived Cannabinoids
Hemp acts as a bio-remediator, meaning it absorbs substances from its environment, including potential contaminants from the soil. For those looking to buy rare cannabinoids, this can complicate decisions, as plant-derived ingredients may contain heavy metals, pesticides, and other unknown toxins that the plant efficiently absorbs. These impurities can end up in cannabinoid products unless carefully removed.
Additionally, hemp extracts often contain:
- Terpenes
- Flavonoids
- Other cannabinoids
While these compounds can be useful in some formulations, they are considered impurities when aiming for high-purity isolates like 99% THCV. Other materials, like plant matter or chlorophyll, can affect the product’s color, scent, taste, and safety profile.
Because hemp is chemically complex, it’s often difficult to achieve 99% purity or higher in converted (aka semi-synthesized) rare cannabinoids. These ingredients are often inaccurately marketed as “hemp-derived.” In actuality, the process used is chemical synthesis starting with an extracted and purified compound, and the resultant product is many steps removed from the originating hemp compound. For the purposes of this post, we will refer to the commonly claimed “hemp-derived THCV” as the more scientifically accurate “semi-synthesized THCV.” Many of these products also contain unknown impurities due to side reactions in the conversion process, which are risky because their effects aren’t fully understood.
What is in that unaccounted-for 1%? Sometimes, a COA will tell you exactly what’s in the non-target cannabinoid 1%, and sometimes it won’t. If it’s unclear from the COA what the remaining percentages of your products are, then ask the distributor to provide a chromatogram for additional insight into the safety and integrity of your products.
Why Synthesized Cannabinoids May Be Safer
On the other hand, fully synthesized and biosynthesized THCV is always produced under controlled conditions, giving manufacturers much more control over the purity and impurity profiles. With appropriate quality systems in place, these methods result in fewer contaminants and unknown substances, making synthesized cannabinoids safer and more reliable for product developers.
Comparing Synthesized vs. Semi-Synthesized Hemp-Derived THCV
When it comes to buying THCV, purity and safety are essential. Let’s compare the purity profiles of synthesized vs. semi-synthesized THCV to illustrate why synthesized cannabinoids have the advantage.
BayMedica’s Synthesized THCV: High Purity, Low Risk
According to an example, COA, BayMedica’s synthesized THCV boasts a 99% purity and 99.24% total cannabinoids. This is within the margin of analytical error for 100% purity and implies that only 0.76% is unknown. Notably, this meets USP standards for pharmaceutical-grade supplements, which must be at least 99 percent pure. This purity level shows the precision and consistency that synthesis can achieve, resulting in a cleaner, more predictable product.
By controlling the production process from start to finish, BayMedica minimizes impurities, reducing the risk of contaminants. Businesses can trust that they’re providing safe, high-quality cannabinoid ingredients to their customers.
Take a look for yourself at a typical BayMedica THCV COA.
Competitor’s Semi-Synthesized Hemp THCV: Higher Impurities, Greater Risk
In contrast, a competitor’s plant-derived THCV (COA below, company name redacted) shows 90% purity and 91.5% total cannabinoids; it was synthesized from plant-derived CBDV, which may not have been pure to start. This leaves an 8.5% impurity profile, which is more than ten times higher than BayMedica’s THCV. Many of these impurities are unknown, raising potential safety and quality concerns.
Due to the plant’s complex makeup and environmental factors, semi-synthesized hemp-derived cannabinoids often contain unknown non-cannabinoid-related contaminants. This leads to variable quality and increased risks, especially when these unknowns aren’t fully identified.
Now, examine a competitor’s semi-synthesized THCV COA.
This is one of BayMedica’s top competitors selling “hemp-derived” THCV. The brand name has been redacted from the COA. Notice the low THCV potency level and the lack of clarity around what the remaining percentage is comprised of. In any other industry, this product would not be allowed to be sold, much less included in finished products, because it would be considered unsafe.
Chromatogram Analysis: Identifying Impurities
To understand the difference, a chromatogram analysis can represent and help visually identify impurities. BayMedica’s synthesized THCV shows a clean, predictable impurity profile with fully characterized compounds. Meanwhile, the chromatogram for plant-derived THCV reveals several unknown peaks, indicating unidentified substances. These could be contaminants or by-products, adding more risk to the product.
For brands looking to scale, especially in mass-market CPG products, having a predictable impurity profile is critical for ensuring consistent, high-quality products. Synthesized THCV can offer reliability in every batch, reducing the risk of inconsistent results that could damage brand reputation.
The Risks of Unknown Impurities
Health Risks
Unknown impurities in cannabinoid products may pose health risks. These impurities include trace pesticides, residual solvents, heavy metals, remnants of synthesis (side reactions), or plant by-products that haven’t been thoroughly studied. In semi-synthesized cannabinoids, there’s a higher risk that these substances may end up in the final product.
Exposure to unknown contaminants can lead to side effects or even adverse reactions. This creates uncertainty for consumers and could damage brand trust and reputation. Your supplier should be able to answer questions related to the non-target cannabinoids and other variables that account for the remaining percentage of your products. It can not be emphasized enough that your target cannabinoid should be available at the highest percentage possible to ensure purity and safety, and all other percentages of the tested profile should be accounted for in the COA and chromatogram. Ask for it. All reputable suppliers should readily provide this level of detail about their products.
In contrast, synthesized cannabinoids, like BayMedica’s THCV, are produced under controlled conditions, significantly reducing the risk of unknown impurities. This may make them safer for companies focused on safety and consistency.
Regulatory Concerns
BayMedica’s products and processes have been designed to provide high purity with minimal impurities and are tested rigorously before release for sale.
However, semi-synthesized cannabinoids present more challenges. Their impurity profiles vary based on growing conditions, harvesting methods, extraction, and purification techniques. Furthermore, many “plant-derived” cannabinoids are also synthesized from plant-derived starting materials, which can often magnify the impurity profile. This inconsistency can lead to regulatory compliance issues. Even with the same supplier, plant-derived products can show significant shifts in quality from batch to batch. The federal standard for purity is 95%, which is not commonly achieved through semi-synthesis or even straight plant extraction.
As the demand for rare cannabinoids like THCV grows, ensuring consistent and compliant products is crucial, especially for companies producing large-scale consumer products or those looking to future-proof their products against future regulation.
Conclusion
In the cannabinoid space, choosing the right ingredient is about more than just “natural” vs. synthesized. When it comes to safety, consistency, and regulatory compliance, synthesized cannabinoids like BayMedica’s THCV stand out. With high purity levels, controlled impurity profiles, and fewer risks of unknown contaminants, synthesized rare cannabinoids are the smarter choice for businesses looking to scale their products confidently and deliver safe, high-quality offerings to consumers.
Ready to make a safer choice?
Request BayMedica’s high-purity cannabinoids through our trusted distribution partners today and make an informed decision when you buy rare cannabinoids.