In the cannabis marketplace, beverages have come a long way in a relatively short amount of time. There are plenty of products on the market for consumers to choose from – still water, sparkling water, juice, tonic, seltzer, aperitifs, and mocktails, just to name a few. Some drinks are infused with CBD, some with THC, some with a pairing of CBD and THC, and others with minor cannabinoids. To differentiate themselves, many brands are creating unique flavor pairings, or putting their own spin on classic beverages like soda, seltzers, or cocktails. So many drinks – so little time!

This spring, Brightfield predicted that CBD drinks will reach $192M in annual sales this year, up 9.5% compared to 2021. That’s a significant amount of growth in a year. Another analytics group, BDSA, reported earlier this summer that the cannabis beverage category had 64% growth last year and 27% growth quarter over quarter.  This growth begs the question — what’s driving consumers to try cannabis beverages?

REASON #1: CANNABIS DRINKS ARE A GREAT REPLACEMENT FOR ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

In the past few years, we’ve seen a shift in consumer behavior around alcohol. More people are cutting back on the amount of alcohol they drink, and some are abstaining from alcohol altogether, especially as we learn more about the negative effects it has on the body and brain.   

 In 2021, a Nielsen survey reported that 22% of consumers were drinking less and cutting back on their alcohol consumption. When asked why they were doing this, consumers responded that they either wanted to have a healthier lifestyle, they had lost interest in drinking alcohol, they weren’t going out as much as they used to, or they were interested in NA beverages instead.

For those who are sober curious or those who have chosen to cut out alcohol altogether, cannabis beverages are great replacements for alcoholic beverages. Many can be used as a base for a mocktail or as a stand-alone drink over ice. For consumers who want an elevated experience without the headache the next day, THC infused drinks offer that lift with a gentle letdown.  

REASON #2: CANNABIS DRINKS ARE A HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE TO EDIBLES

Cannabis edibles are a popular format for consumption – namely gummies and chocolate – which makes sense given how familiar consumers are with these formats. That said, edibles are often high in sugar, and in the case of chocolate, high in fat. In comparison, most cannabis beverages are low in sugar and have no fat in them whatsoever. Many drinks also offer other good-for-you ingredients like adaptogens, superfoods, and functional ingredients. When you drink a cannabis beverage, you’re not just ingesting the cannabinoids – you’re staying hydrated and reaping the benefits of other healthy ingredients.

REASON #3: CANNABIS DRINKS ARE GREAT FOR SOCIAL EXPERIENCES

 Whether you are sharing a meal with friends, out at a park for a picnic, on a hike with your best friend, or doing movie night with your neighbors, cannabis drinks are great to share with others. It’s fun to offer a variety of different drinks for folks to try – ones with CBD, THC, or a CBD/THC combination — because everyone’s tastes and levels of interest in cannabis are different. Bringing a low-dose THC drink to an outing might give someone who’s canna-curious the opportunity to try a product that they might not otherwise be exposed to

Another fun event involving cannabis drinks is a Happy Hour Mocktail party. Invite a group of friends over, have them bring some of their favorite cocktail/mocktail ingredients, pull out the blender, fill up a bucket of ice, and get creative as you mix infused sparkling waters, seltzers, or tonics with your guests’ ingredients

REASON #4: CANNABIS DRINKS BRING VERSATILITY IN FORMAT AND DOSING

 In 2022, we’re seeing more beverage companies getting creative with the products they are offering to the consumer. There are plenty of ready-to-drink items on the market sold in cans or bottles, but now we’re seeing more wellness shots and single serve, ready-to-mix packages like stick packs hitting the shelves. These are great for folks who are on the go since they don’t take up a lot of space and deliver a healthy dose of cannabinoids in a smaller, more compact format.

In terms of dosing cannabis drinks, typically, CBD beverages on the market offer anywhere from 20-40mg of CBD per 12-ounce container. The dosing with THC beverages is more varied – you can find low dose products with 2mgs THC per container, and at the other end of the spectrum, 100mg. While 100mg may sound like a lot, a beverage with this dosage is quite versatile; a consumer could drink 5mgs at a time, or 10 – it’s really up to the person and their level of tolerance

REASON #5: CANNABIS DRINKS OFFER CONSISTENT, QUICK ONSETS AND BETTER BIOAVAILABILITY THAN EDIBLES

 Cannabis drinks that are made using water-soluble emulsions like SōRSE offer the consumers quicker onsets consistently. Someone who consumes an infused beverage will typically feel the effects within 8-12 minutes, which is relatively quick compared to an edible’s onset which can take upwards of an hour or two depending on a person’s body chemistry. Because every human body is unique and functions differently, no one person will metabolize and absorb or experience cannabinoids in the exact same way as someone else. 

For those who wonder how beverages can deliver a quick onset in a repeatable manner, it’s because of the way the emulsion delivers the cannabinoids. When cannabinoids are enrobed in a water-soluble emulsion, they will be evenly dispersed throughout the beverage, which means there are the same amount of cannabinoids in the first sip as the last.  

 The body also has an easier time digesting cannabinoids in a water-soluble format compared to oil. When a person orally ingests CBD or THC in oil form, it can typically take 1 to 2 hours for the onset of effects, followed by a plateau between 2 and 5 hours, depending on how much a person has eaten. Emulsion technology breaks oil down into small particle sizes for even dispersal and stability, allowing for greater absorption in the intestinal tract for better bioavailability. Absorption actually begins in the mouth, before you even swallow your first sip of an infused beverage!

Infused beverage is definitely a category on the rise in today’s cannabis industry. For consumers looking for alternatives (or supplements!) to flower, tinctures, and edibles, cannabis beverages are a terrific option given the taste profiles being created by product producers, the variety of products on the market, and the consistent experience a beverage made with a water-soluble emulsion can deliver. If you are a beverage designer interested in creating a cannabis drink to launch, come to the SōRSE and book a call with our team today, a team well-versed in beverage formulation.  

Most professional and amateur athletes care about the quality and safety of the products they consume; knowing that the beverages and supplements they take to improve their training, performance or recovery are free of harmful substances brings peace of mind. That is why NSF developed its Certified for Sport® program and why our Powered by SōRSE partner, Adapt Brands, decided to pursue NSF Certified for Sport® for its SuperWater, which it was granted this spring after a thorough process of product testing and review. Adapt SuperWater is the first hemp beverage to garner this certification. Adapt’s owner, Richie Harrington, a former Division 1 college athlete, is dedicated to producing the safest, highest-quality beverage for professional and amateur athletes, and determined to provide a product that is a great alternative to products on the market that are more harmful than helpful.  

What Does NSF Certified for Sport Mean?

 

NSF launched its Certified for Sport® certification in 2005. Prior to that, steroids were difficult to identify in products on the market because no organization was testing products for adulterants, steroids, or banned substances. Many professional athletic organizations and leagues knew that this type of testing was needed; thus, NSF worked with Major League Baseball and other organizations to discuss their needs for a product testing and certification program. The goal was that an athlete could pick up an NSF Certified for Sport® product and immediately know that it had been thoroughly tested for harmful ingredients, contaminants and banned substances. 

 

What is Required for NSF Certification?

Companies like Adapt Brands undergo the following process to earn NSF Certified for Sport® certification for their products:

1. First, NSF meets with the business owner to walk through the steps to becoming certified, including what documentation will be required.  
2. NSF then gathers documentation from the company, including product labels, formulations, COA’s for every ingredient, and a Product Information Form that outlines details such as the product’s manufacturer and packager, and what category it falls into. This is important because any facility manufacturing or packaging NSF certified products must also meet rigorous auditing criteria. 
3. NSF then starts the technical review process for the product. The technical review team assesses the product for several things, including: a desktop calculation of the formulation to ensure it aligns with the facts panel; each ingredient has an established upper safety limit; evaluation of the COAs with assays to confirm that the purity and the type of ingredient is accurate; and checking that the product meets regulatory and standard requirements. 
4. Once the technical review process is completed and approved and any concerns are addressed, the product undergoes testing. There are three main testing categories required for Certified for Sport®: 1) facts panel label claims, 2) contamination (microbiological and chemical), and 3) a banned substance screen for substances prohibited in sport.  
5. If the product passes all of the tests, the final step is a review of the total package to make sure the scope of work has been completed in its entirety. Then the product is officially certified and listed as NSF Certified for Sport® on nsf.org, nsfsport.com and the NSF Sport mobile app.  

From start to finish, this process typically takes about 45 days after the initial conversation. The timeline is heavily dependent on how quickly a company can provide the necessary documentation. To ensure products remain compliant with the certification requirements, audits and testing are repeated frequently. 

NSF’s core company value is public health and safety. Their goal is to ensure that what people are consuming is safe – that a product is not going to be harmful or cause side effects that they weren’t prepared for. NSF also understands that things are continuously changing and evolving with food, beverages, and supplements, and increased consumer interest in hemp and CBD is a great example of that. Because of that, NSF constantly reviews information on ingredients as soon as it becomes available.  

After hemp was made legal in 2018 but was still in FDA limbo, NSF conducted its own research, with support from industry stakeholders, to determine a safety limit. That study yielded a 20mg daily maximum limit, which has since been increased to 60mg following further research. However, hemp and CBD were still banned from the athletic industry and therefore were not eligible for Certified for Sport® certification. In 2021, hemp was removed from the banned substances list, which opened up opportunities for brands like Adapt SuperWater to become NSF Certified for Sport®. Certified products display the Certified for Sport® mark on their label and are listed on nsfsport.com or the NSF Sport app. For thoroughly tested, safer products like Adapt SuperWater, look for the Certified for Sport® mark on the label.  

Meet Andrew Freedman, The Cannabis Sommelier from Calgary, Canada whose unique approach to pairing cannabis, wine, cocktails and food has led him to presenting cannabis-infused fine dining events across North America. Andrew has been connected to cannabis for many years and is passionate about sharing his knowledge of the plant and its benefits with those who love great food and drink. Seeing the connections between cannabis and wine led him to go through the training to become a sommelier, further honing his ability to describe the various sensory attributes of both cannabis and wine. Andrew is well-versed in discussing terpenes, having authored a book on them entitled, Terpenes for Well-Being.

On Wednesday, July 27, Andrew will be speaking at the American Culinary Federation’s National Convention in Las Vegas, giving a presentation on “Cannabis Beverages: Demystifying Infusions, Pairings, and Service” using SōRSE in his demo. During his session, attendees will learn about cannabis, cannabis infusions, how chefs are using cannabis service in restaurant and event settings, and the importance of diner care when serving infused meals and beverages. SōRSE is proud to be partnering with Andrew on this presentation about elevated dining experiences. For more information on this event, check out the ACF website. 

Can you start by sharing your background with us – how you got involved in cannabis, and what inspired you to become The Cannabis Sommelier?  

 I have been involved with cannabis the majority of my life. When I first found cannabis at a young age, I began self-medicating. Cannabis consumption unlocked an incredible tool in my mind — the ability to think before I spoke. Cannabis gave me the opportunity to form and understand my ideas without getting distracted by the next task at hand. Because of this, I was drawn to the medical aspect of cannabis and learned to grow and extract cannabis. 

As a teenager, I was introduced to cannabis activism and began constantly talking to anyone who would listen about the benefits of cannabis, mainly regarding harm reduction and youth cannabis consumption. When I moved to Vancouver to work in brick & mortar cannabis stores long before legalization, I awakened to the depth and complexity of cannabis flavors and aromas, as well as the large commercial scale of cannabis. 

Cue moving back to Calgary and seeing a documentary called SOMM. This documentary is about the Master Sommelier program, a highly elite club of wine professionals who can sniff and swirl a wine, taste it, and tell you the exact type of grape, region and year it was made. I knew I needed this knowledge, so I Googled ‘wine course.’ Low and behold, there was a course that Saturday for $420. I took that as a sign I needed to learn how to smell and taste wine and cannabis like the gentleman on my TV screen. When discussing with my wife what I should tell people about why I am taking the class, we decided that I would be the first real cannabis sommelier who would teach people how to pair cannabis and wine. The rest is history.

What kind of training and education have you done to become a sommelier? 

I am a WSET 3 (Wine & Spirit Education Trust); I am also a Canadian Wine Scholar. I spent the 2016 vintage living and working on a winery as a winemaker’s apprentice. Others choose to join the Court of Master Sommeliers for their training and accreditation. Technically speaking, you do not need any schooling to become a somm, but you must control a wine program and be part of wine service.

How does your experience working in the wine industry influence the work you do with cannabis?

I saw wine as an opportunity to better understand cannabis on so many levels. Cannabis and wine are basically the same things — from the passionate people, the interesting places, the unique products, all the way down to the shape of a trichome head and a grape. Both are circles with a waxy skin that encompass a plethora of terpenes, esters, and flavonoids. The only difference between the two intoxicants is one has to be fermented and one has to be heated to enjoy their effects. 

Wine has such an incredible recorded history. When Noah landed his arc, the first thing he did was plant grape vines. This made me realize that not enough cannabis research and opinion was being documented. Wine also shaped the realities of globalizing an intoxicant to me. It’s incredible that when we walk into liquor stores, we have rows and rows of seemingly the same products imported from all over the world. Yet what wine really taught me was how to accurately and scientifically explain flavors, aroma and quality.  

A sommelier’s primary role is educating the customer or consumer. What are some of the common questions you are asked in your role? 

There is so much knowledge to be shared about cannabis. From the ground up, most people are confused, just like they are when they shop for a bottle of wine. The most important role I have is my duty of care for the customer, making sure they feel safe and comfortable with their intoxication and not placing them in harm’s way. The first thing I always explain is how intoxication will feel and how cannabis interacts with your body.

Next is “Why can’t I find the right weed for me?” This garners a very simple answer — start low and go slow, and if an experience isn’t enjoyable multiple times over, maybe it just isn’t for you. We all have a unique biology, and no two people’s body chemistries are identical.

“Why does it smell like skunk?” That’s actually 321 MBT, the same chemical found in skunk spray and oxidized beer! Yes, that Heineken actually does smell like weed.

“What is a terpene?” Terpenes are such a hot word right now for marketers, but very little explanation actually gets back to the end consumer. The easiest way to think about terpenes is to see them as the building blocks of aroma; they are single cell molecules each with an individual color. Stack these blocks together into any shape you want to create, and we can consider the finished objects combination of bricks to be an essential oil.

What commonalities do you see between consumers of wine and consumers of cannabis (in terms of product expectation, consumption method, etc.)? 

• What is the feedback you receive from wine consumers when they are introduced to cannabis? Do they understand how they can complement each other?

Wine drinkers are much more receptive to the ideas of cannabis tasting and pairing, and most have usually already been coached on the concept along the way at a wine tasting or wine dinner. Higher price-point wine drinkers are often searching for unique and enticing flavors for their palate. Also, most alcohol consumers already have some relationship with cannabis in their lives. 

• And then the same for cannabis consumers being introduced to a wine or alcohol pairing? 

Cannabis consumers are much more difficult; many are non-drinkers, so this creates the first layer — second is the taste of wine. Some can very quickly get over the taste of alcohol and explore the nuances of the drink, but many have a hard time. Cannabis consumers are much more receptive to the agricultural concepts and the relationship between growing and creating the two intoxicants. So where they find less joy in the tasting than a wine consumer, I find they take more out of the general experience of education because of the agricultural connection.

• Do they feel alcohol and cannabis can play in the same sandbox?

Everyone is receptive to cannabis and alcohol, except for government bodies. In Canada, 1 in 4 people have consumed cannabis in the last 12 months, with over 50% of people having tried cannabis in their lifetime. 80% of Canadians 15 and older have had at least one alcoholic drink a year. The consumption habits are already intermingling. It is now our responsibility to make sure that happens safely and enjoyably. 

What goes into creating a cannabis culinary experience for your clients? Specifically, how do you decide what dishes to prepare and what beverages to pair with each dish? What is your favorite dish to serve and beverage to pair with it?

I am fortunate to work with many amazing chefs across North America. My role as The Cannabis Sommelier is to help educate chefs how to safely and effectively introduce cannabis into their cuisine. I generally let the chef I am working with for the event create the menu. It is always best when a chef is inspired to create and then learn a new trick to add another layer of complexity using cannabis. I pair wines with two main concepts in mind – first, a great pairing with the dish, and second, a wonderful story about the wine that can relate back to cannabis. I love introducing people to Lambrusco – it’s a cold, sparkling red wine. It is almost always something nobody has had before and is exceptionally unique. I usually love to serve it with a rich pork dish. Second to that is Champagne and bone marrow; after you clear out the bone, use it as a slide to pour champagne in your mouth and get every last bit of that rich, fatty goodness. 

Tell us about your book, “Terpenes for Well-Being.” What inspired you to write about terpenes? What are some of your favorites? 

Terpenes for Well-Being is an opportunity to understand what it means when you stop and smell the roses. What are aromas? Why are they surrounding us? What are they made of? Our sense of smell is one we cannot turn off. It is our trusted guide to understanding what we should put in our mouth before we ever even consider it. The book is a great intro into smell, taste, cannabis, and how to utilize them altogether in everyday life. I am super proud that the book won the silver medal at the International Publishers Living Now Awards 2021 in the Health and Wellness category.

Terpinolene and Limonene are my favourite terps! Can’t get enough of fruit aromas! 

How does cannabis enhance the meals you create?

Cannabis is so much more than just an intoxicant; it is an ingredient with so much depth to explore. Working with chefs to look at cannabis in creative ways and plate it to be enjoyed is a blast. From deep frying leaves to strain-specific oil infusions, we can highlight the taste and depth of aroma the plant has to offer. 

What information about terpenes is your audience most surprised to learn?

People are often surprised to learn that so many things on earth create terpenes for different reasons. Roots, shoots, flowers, trees, and bugs all create different combinations of terpenes for specific, genetically adapted reasons — some anti-bacterial, some insecticidal, some fungicidal. All of the individual evolutionary components of terpenes combine to make that subject’s specific and unique essential oil.

People also love to know that the terpene Humulene was discovered when researching hops and cannabis. An unidentifiable terpene existed until the same tests were run on hops; a matching chemical analysis was found, and the smell and word Humulene were dubbed after the scientific name for hops, Humulus Lupulus. 

What excites you most about the cannabis industry right now? Where do you see the industry heading in the future, particularly in the beverage sector? 

We are watching the globalization of cannabis unfold! I am a Canadian heading to Las Vegas to speak about safe cannabis consumption in restaurant settings! I imagine the next 5 years will be incredibly exciting for cannabis to be accepted globally. As we watch nations change policy and their stance on cannabis every day, it is so exciting to know that soon we may have dispensaries with rows of cannabis products grown all over the world. I can’t wait to see coolers full of craft cannabis products made by passionate people around the globe. I think Beverage is a leader in the commercialization and globalization of cannabis because of how we already consume and distribute beverages. It can very easily be placed into our routines, normalizing cannabis consumption publicly, rapidly. 

How did you become associated with American Culinary Federation? What excites you about their National Convention coming up? What drew you to SōRSE and incorporating it into your cannabis experience? 

I was fortunate to meet Jacqui Pressinger of the American Culinary Federation a couple of years ago. Since meeting Jacqui, she has given me such great opportunities to speak to chefs and culinarians about cannabis service and consumption. The ACF is a front runner in cannabis education. I am happy to have helped audit the American Culinary Federation’s Cannabis Cuisine & Edible course and have become one of the first people certified by the ACF in cannabis in the world. 

I am so excited to speak alongside the most powerhouse line up of chefs ever! The whole conference is like watching the food network! I am so humbled and honored to speak with such amazing taste makers and pioneers in the culinary industry. I am most excited for Chef Amaury Guichon, the chocolate wizard who you will have seen all over the internet for his incredible displays of pastry or on his Netflix show teaching other pastry artists to build life size sculptures completely made of chocolate. 

 SōRSE creates incredible products and solutions. As soon as I was able to find commercialized culinary ingredients to help chefs accurately dose dishes, I started highlighting these products and giving chefs the power of duty of care. I work with SōRSE because of their diverse product offering, professionalism, and high industry standing as a leader in cannabis food and beverage. 

With the increased popularity of the cannabis beverage category with consumers and the growing number of infused drinks on the market, there is a lot of talk – and questions — about emulsions and water-soluble cannabinoids. Some of the conversation suggests that emulsions are unnecessary for making an infused beverage and that inexpensive pieces of equipment would allow one to create their own water-soluble solution for beverage production. Here we’ll explore these topics and debunk some of the myths around emulsions.

What is an Emulsion, and Why Is It an Important Ingredient in an Infused Beverage?

Let’s first explain what an emulsion is and why it is needed when making infused products. Emulsions play an increasingly active role in our day-to-day lives, particularly in food and beverages. An emulsion is a combination of two or more immiscible liquids – fluids which will not mix, such as oil and water or the oil and vinegar in a salad dressing. Emulsions provide a pathway to mix or blend immiscible fluids and present them as a uniform mixture. Uniform dispersion in water platforms and foods is one of the largest challenges relating to cannabinoid-infused product development. 

Water is a polar, hydrophilic molecule (lipophobic, water loving, fat/oil fearing), whereas cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), along with most lipids, oils, and fats, are non-polar, hydrophobic (fats/oil, lipid loving) molecules. A primary factor of hydrophobicity is polarity. 

Some of the reasons an emulsion is beneficial to a cannabinoid beverage system include their ability to:  isolate the negative sensory aspects of the cannabinoids; enhance potential flavor profiles; provide a highly uniform/homogenous and stable solution of active cannabinoids; create an emulsion that can be diluted and remains stable. 

Whether creating a water-miscible concentrate with an emulsion, suspension, or other solution, a destabilization mechanism will still occur. SōRSE’s technology protects the cannabinoids from destabilizing phenomena such as gravitational forces which lead to creaming and sedimentation. Both creaming and sedimentation are the result of a mismatch of densities between oil phase and the aqueous phase. 

If this occurs in a cannabis beverage whether developed with an emulsion or not, the result can be large variations in potency throughout a beverage that could accidentally result in the consumption of most of the container’s active ingredients in the first sips. Other destabilization phenomena can be even more problematic and can result in an irreversible phase separation. These phenomena include Oswald ripening, coalescence, and flocculation.

Myth #1 – You Don’t Need an Emulsion to Make an Infused Beverage, and You Can Make a Water-Soluble Material that Can Be Infused into Beverages with Minimal Cost

 There are other ways to make cannabinoids water-soluble, but that doesn’t mean they are the best way to do it, especially if the goal is adding them to a beverage and food item, and the method could have limitations when a company is trying to expand into other legal markets. These methods might bump up against regulatory hurdles from state to state. 

While it is possible to purchase the equipment and ingredients needed to make cannabinoids water-soluble, having the ability to test for stability and analyze the solution with an experienced R & D team is critical. Working with a reputable emulsion supplier means more than just purchasing a water-soluble solution – it gives you the knowledge and know-how of an R & D team that is experienced in creating emulsions with a proven shelf life that can be scaled up quickly and easily for beverage production. 

Emulsion suppliers also work with testing labs that can ensure a beverage developer is meeting their label claims, and they can help troubleshoot any issues that might arise throughout the process of going to market.

Myth #2 – All Emulsions are the Same

Cannabinoids can be converted into a water-soluble emulsion using 4 different methods, but they are not created equally: 

• Physical/Mechanical Dispersions: Mixing or shaking disperses the oil into water 
• Ultrasonic Dispersions: Sonic waves break up the oil into small droplets  
• Co-solvents: Water-miscible chemicals are used to pull the oil into the water phase 
•   Micellular Emulsions: Physical ordering isolates the oils from the water phase. 

 The chart below shows how the four methods compare to one another based on the qualities a beverage producer should be thinking about when evaluating an emulsion.  

• Is it made with safe label friendly ingredients?  
• Are the cannabinoids evenly dispersed throughout the emulsion (homogeneous)?  
• Is the emulsion stable and will it remain stable over time?  
• What is the emulsion’s sensory impact?  
• Is the emulsion dosed accurately?  
• Is it easy to scale production using the emulsion?

Stability in an emulsion is not concluded by a single metric. Homogeneity means that the emulsion disperses evenly and uniformly throughout the product; no separation will occur. A homogeneous emulsion will not have an oil layer at the top or sedimentation at the bottom. SōRSE evaluates the potency throughout a beverage and has been able to demonstrate that a beverage powered by SōRSE that remains undisturbed for up to a year or more will have the same potency (mg/mL) at the top, middle, and bottom. 

It is not just cannabinoids that need to remain homogenous and evenly dispersed; colors, flavors, and other ingredients can also fall out of solution or interact with the beverage, causing an unappealing appearance and possible variations in homogeneity.   

The micellular method that SōRSE meets all of the requirements needed for creating an infused beverage that will match its label claims and provide a positive experience for the consumer. 

Myth 3 – Emulsions are the Primary Factor That Contribute to Scalping

Scalping, the phenomenon of a beverage’s ingredients sticking to the liner in an aluminum can, has been a challenge for beverage formulators for a long time. Many ingredients are absorbed into can liners, not just cannabinoids. Can liners serve several functions such as: protecting the metal from corrosion, absorbing CO2 to prevent the can bursting under pressure, resisting temperature to allow for pasteurization, and preventing unwanted flavor and contamination from metal leaching into the beverage. Knowing that scalping is an issue many infused beverage producers have to contend with, SōRSE, in partnership with a major packaging manufacturer, has conducted studies on scalping and has determined which materials work best with cannabinoids. We have also devised methods for determining the rate of scalping into the can liner in order to properly dose beverages. Through these studies and data analysis, we’ve learned that scalping is not a “one size fits all” scenario, because cannabinoids and flavors scalp at different rates. 

Myth 4 — Nano is the sole factor for improving bioavailability

It is common nowadays for manufacturers of cannabis products including beverages to claim what makes a product more bioavailable. Incredibly small particles like those in nano-emulsion are not necessary to create concentrated cannabis solutions that are flavor neutral, lead to fast onset in as little as 10 minutes, and will remain suspended throughout out a product for the duration of the shelf life. 

Bioavailability is the degree and rate at which a substance is absorbed into the bloodstream. The bioavailability of cannabinoids varies based on the consumption method and concentration of the cannabinoid of the product they are using. For example, CBD in an edible enters the bloodstream through the digestive tract. SōRSE emulsion is designed to blanket cannabinoids which allows for greater absorption in the intestinal tract. This means that the consumer will feel the effect of the CBD within 8 – 20 minutes.

Nano is descriptor that many cannabis companies use in their marketing, but what exactly does it mean? Materials in the nanoscale range (i.e., with at least one dimension in the size range of approximately 1 nanometer (nm) to 100 nm) can exhibit different chemical or physical properties or biological effects compared to larger-scale counterparts.

Early on, SōRSE recognized the inherent risk in developing a product considered a nano material and the type of safety and toxicology studies that need to be completed. Even if cannabidiol and other cannabinoids were considered GRAS by the FDA (which it has not), additional testing on the nano material would need to be conducted to determine if there are unintended effects.

The bottom line is that nano does not mean higher bioavailability. Just because a molecule is very small doesn’t mean that it will be readily absorbed into the blood stream. Consumers should look for companies that have the data to prove their claims; otherwise, they may not be getting what they expected and paid for. 

Myth 5 – Using the term “Nano” is an Effective Way to Market your CBD Product

SōRSE puts consumer safety first, and because of that, we don’t create nano emulsions. Small particle size is part of what makes emulsions easy to scale, but if they are too small, there may be inherent risks. Because the particles are so small, after they are ingested, they are transported throughout the body. This is problematic if they are going to an area where they are not intended to. It is for this reason that nano is not recognized as safe by the FDA. 

If the FDA legalizes CBD, nano emulsions may require additional testing to generate safety data and supporting data. Depending on the results of the testing, nano-infused products may require reformulation.  

At this time, when considering whether an FDA-regulated product involves the application of nanotechnology, FDA will ask:  

1. Whether a material or end product is engineered to have at least one external dimension, or an internal or surface structure, in the nanoscale range (approximately 1 nm to 100 nm); 

• • Because materials or end products can also exhibit related properties or phenomena attributable to a dimension(s) outside the nanoscale range of approximately 1 nm to 100 nm that are relevant to evaluations of safety, effectiveness, performance, quality, public health impact, or regulatory status of products, we (FDA) will also ask: 

2. Whether a material or end product is engineered to exhibit properties or phenomena, including physical or chemical properties or biological effects, that are attributable to its dimension(s), even if these dimensions fall outside the nanoscale range, up to one micrometer (1,000 nm).

• • These considerations apply not only to new products, but also when changes to manufacturing processes alter the dimensions, properties, or effects of an FDA-regulated product or any of its constituent parts. 

Final Thoughts

Emulsions are not new in the food and beverage industry, but not all emulsions and other water-soluble cannabinoid solutions are created equal. It’s important to carefully evaluate the different solutions on the market and ask questions about safety, stability, sensory, and potency. If you are a beverage product developer looking for a trusted supplier and a valuable partner in your journey to market, come to the SōRSE and book a meeting today.  

In the world of food and beverage, the consumer’s sensory experience consuming a product can be “make or break” for a company trying to develop brand loyalty and attract a repeat customer. The sensory experience involves the following: touch, sight, smell, and taste. When it comes to drinking and evaluating a beverage, a consumer’s first tactile and visual interaction will be with the packaging. Then, once the beverage is opened and sipped, the consumer will not only think about the product’s flavors; they will also consider its effervescence, its weight and its texture, qualities otherwise known as mouthfeel.   

Beverage producers need to carefully consider how these three elements – flavor, effervescence, and mouthfeel – impact each other and the consumer’s experience. 

What is Mouthfeel?  

Mouthfeel is best defined as the physical sensations we experience in our mouth when we ingest a food item or beverage. Mouthfeel is distinctly different from taste, because taste connects to flavor. Mouthfeel is definitely impacted by the beverage’s texture – the tactile experience the consumer has when the surface of the drink meets their lips, tongue and mouth.

When describing the Mouthfeel of fermented beverages like beer, wine or cider, these are some of the qualities or attributes that consumers might consider:  

• Chewiness: the sensation of resistance in the beverage 
• Cohesiveness: how the beverage holds together 
• Thickness: the weight of the beverage in mouth (this also impacts the force needed to draw the beverage from the glass into the mouth over the tongue)
• Dryness: the experience of dryness in mouth
• Heaviness: the weight of the beverage on tongue 
• Creaminess: the soft, smooth, rich texture of the beverage

Beers that lack fullness are often described as thin, while full-bodied beers are described as round. Other words that can be used to describe beverages when evaluating mouthfeel are watery, delicate, light, smooth, silky, buttery, creamy, milky, rich, full, thick, dense, heavy, dry, and rough. With beer, factors that impact mouthfeel include serving temperature, pH, carbonation, alcohol level, and texture.   

How Mouthfeel Impacts the Consumer’s Sensory Experience 

While flavor and aroma are an important part of a consumer’s experience drinking a beverage, mouthfeel and texture play a significant role as well. Much of this has to do with what the consumer expects the beverage to taste and feel like, versus what they actually experience when the drink enters their mouth. For example, consider what happens when a consumer chooses to “water down” a beverage by either adding tap or sparkling water to it or by pouring it over ice. In the case of a spirit, this not only alters the beverage’s potency, but also the sensory experience in terms of the strength of the flavor and the mouthfeel. When it comes to beer, each style will have its own unique mouthfeel, just as their flavors and aromas will be unique as well.  

For consumers of beer and other fermented beverages, mouthfeel is an important part of the experience, because most come to the table expecting their drink to taste and feel a certain way.  If someone chooses a porter at their local pub and finds the mouthfeel to be thin, they might be disappointed, compared to the person who chooses a lager knowing that the mouthfeel will be lighter than other beers. The challenge for producers trying to meet the expectations of the consumer is matching the beverage’s mouthfeel to the overall flavor profile and composition. 

Emulsion Technology: The Perfect Solution for Enhancing and Improving Mouthfeel 

For a brewer who wants to give a light or medium-bodied beverage a stable, fuller body and richer sensory experience, a hop-derived, water-soluble emulsion can provide the perfect solution for adjusting the mouthfeel. SōRSE has applied its emulsion technology to hops for seamless integration into all beer, NA beer, and cider products.

SōRSE’s Mouthfeel product gives a beverage producer the ability to reach the desired mouthfeel with a single one-step ingredient, which allows them to focus on fermentability.  SōRSE’s single step, “drop and go” solution is easy to integrate into production; it is perfect for cold-side addition post filtration, and no additional equipment or processing is needed. Replacing traditional methods for improving mouthfeel such as adding oats or lactose with the Mouthfeel emulsion will improve total yields due to the reduction of vegetive materials. Mouthfeel is TTB-approved, label friendly, and is stable beyond the shelf-life of the beer.

If you’re a product developer and are interested in how our Mouthfeel product could improve or enhance the body of your beverage, come to the SōRSE and request a sample today.

In the world of infused products, one of the buzz words that has gained a lot of traction in the past few years is “bioavailability.” In particular, the CBD food and beverage industry has been inundated with companies claiming that their products feature “enhanced bioavailability” with little or no actual data to prove them. With the increased acceptance of cannabis-derived products, there has been an increase in claims of bioavailability often left unquestioned and unproven. Because consumers don’t understand this term, deciphering label claims can be difficult.

The term “biological activity” (otherwise known as bioavailability) was first introduced in 1979 and is defined as “the extent to which the active ingredient of a drug dosage form becomes available at the site of drug action or in a biological medium believed to reflect accessibility to a site of action.” In layman’s terms, bioavailability is the amount of a drug that enters circulation after ingestion and that has an active physical effect. 

Consumed in any form, the human body is capable of absorbing, digesting, distributing, and excreting hydrophobic (water-fearing) cannabinoids said to have “low bioavailability.” Instead, generally speaking, much of the cannabinoid is metabolized by the liver before it gets to the blood (first pass effect) or is excreted in urine and feces unchanged.

What is Biological Activity (aka Bioavailability)? 

Biological activity or bioavailability refers to the relationship between administered substance dose and how much ultimately enters the bloodstream. It is the extent and rate at which the active drug or metabolite enters systemic circulation, bringing oxygenated blood to various tissues and returning deoxygenated blood back to the heart into pulmonary circulation to be desaturated by oxygen. The distinction between oxygenated and deoxygenated blood is important when defining bioavailability based on blood collected from a specific site and better understanding the paths that substances take from ingestion to excretion.

When a person orally ingests CBD or THC in oil form, it can typically take 1 to 2 hours for the onset of effects, followed by a plateau between 2 and 5 hours with inconsistent elimination of actives and metabolites, depending on how much food has been consumed (among other variables). Emulsion technology breaks oil down into small particle sizes for even dispersal and stabilization, allowing for greater absorption in the intestinal tract for a consistent, biologically available product. This means that consumers experience the effects of products powered by SōRSE as early as 8 minutes following ingestion. Absorption actually begins in the mouth’s tissues before you even swallow your first sip of an infused beverage. 

The part of the dose of cannabinoids that is excreted, distributed, or metabolized before reaching systemic circulation is known as first pass metabolism and is responsible for the lower bioavailability of substances. As a substance moves from the GI tract into circulation, there is unquestionable transformation and unchanged excretion of a portion of active compound.  

ADME: Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism and Excretion of Cannabinoids
 

Data focused on the concentration of cannabinoids in blood in different individuals and pharmacokinetic parameters show a high degree of variability between subjects. Following a single oral administration of a cannabinoid in oil form, the maximum plasma concentrations of both CBD and THC typically occur within 2 to 4 hours. When administered orally, blood levels of cannabinoids are lower compared to inhalation of smoked cannabis. The resulting concentrations in the blood are lower than those obtained by inhaling the same dose because absorption is slower, and redistribution into fatty tissues is rapid.

The chemical structure and characteristics of a drug or compound have significant impacts on the body’s ability to use and process the substance. Cannabinoids, including CBD, fall under the category of lipids and are processed similar to fat soluble vitamins. When cannabinoids are inhaled, the absorption, distribution, and elimination is very different than if one consumed an equivalent amount cannabis extract orally. 

Factors That Influence Metabolism and Absorption

These are some of the factors that play a part in how the body absorbs cannabinoids: 

•  Age 
• Sex 
• Weight 
• Metabolism 
• Genetic variation (cytochrome P450 isozymes) 
• Drug-drug interactions 
• Stomach contents 
• Liver Disease

Because every human body is unique and functions differently, no one person will metabolize and absorb or experience cannabinoids in the exact same way as another individual. This is especially important to recognize when consuming products infused with THC because of the subjective nature of psychoactive compounds. One person may have a different experience ingesting a 10mg gummy than they would ingesting a 10mg beverage, given the route of administration, the matrix of the edible, and their own unique physiology.  

Closing Thoughts 

 Bioavailability is just one aspect of the metabolism of food, beverages, and the bioactive substances that are sought after in the human diet. CBD is not the only substance that is marketed in certain forms for its ‘increased’ bioavailability; vitamins, minerals, and other compounds are sought after for their nutritive, health, and/or functional ingredients. With proper evidence and understanding, a claim can be transformed into having a predictable, repeatable effect. 

For those who haven’t tried a product powered by SōRSE, they’ve likely had difficulty with dosing, experienced negative or unwanted side effects, or haven’t been able to duplicate the experience consistently. It’s not just that the emulsion is water-soluble, but how the body handles and distributes compounds using the SōRSE patent-pending formula. It is now possible to consume cannabinoids and other biologically active compounds with similar onset, absorption, distribution excretion, and effects as the inhalation of cannabinoids by using water-soluble emulsions.  

If you are interested in learning more about cannabis bioavailability, download our Grounding in Bioavailability white paper which covers biological activity and metabolism, offers a number of case studies, and describes various routes of administration. You can find that and a number of other informative documents on our Resources page.

If you are looking to create your own CBD, THC or other cannabinoid infused water-soluble product, schedule an exploratory call with one of our team members today!

When consumers try an infused beverage for the first time and pour the contents of the bottle or can into a glass, they might be surprised to find that the drink is hazy. That cloudy appearance can be attributed to the emulsion, the ingredient that disperses the cannabinoids such as CBD or THC into the beverage.  

As CBD-infused beverages have become a mainstay on store shelves and consumers continue to seek products that deliver the CBD consistently AND taste great, emulsion technology continues to evolve. A result of this innovation is the use of clear emulsions in product development and production. Most beverage producers who choose a clear emulsion do so to create a certain visual aesthetic for their target consumer, especially those who are used to consuming clear drinks like sparkling waters, seltzers, or tonics. 

As the infused food and beverage space continues to grow and more products come on the market, it’s important to understand the benefits and downsides of clear emulsions. The following are some frequently asked questions about clear emulsions, with answers from the SōRSE Science team.

Frequently Asked Questions on Clear Emulsions

Why do emulsion technology companies offer clear emulsions?  

Companies offer these emulsions because clear beverages are widely known to the consumer, and they have a certain visual appeal. There are many beverages that consumers associate with being clear, like bottled spring water, sparkling water, club soda, tonic water, and some sodas. Then there are other beverages that consumers expect to be hazy, such as a not-from-concentrate fruit juice. Choosing clear over a standard emulsion is very much an aesthetic decision based on consumer expectations and demand.  

How are clear emulsions with cannabinoids made?  

To make a clear emulsion, there are three possible approaches:  

1) Decreasing the particle size: 

To reduce the particle size, you have to find a suitable emulsifier and increase processing time. The emulsion would have to reach a nano particle size to be clear.  

2) Refractive Index Matching:  

For Refractive Index Matching, the Refractive Index is a ratio of the speed of light through a medium (ie: water, air, oil, etc) to the speed of light through a vacuum.  Emulsions appear opaque because the oil and water phase have vastly different Refractive Index (RI) values. In theory, if the RI of the oil and water phases can be matched, then the result should be a clear emulsion. In order for RI matching to work, you need to ensure that the ingredients in the oil phase are not soluble in the water phase, and vice versa, and that there are no chemical reactions between the oil and water phase. 

3) Using cosolvents: 

Using cosolvent/cosurfactant ingredients allow for the CBD to become miscible with water. With this approach, you have to find a cosolvent that, when mixed with the CBD, doesn’t lead to an opaque letdown into water. A good example of the cosolvent approach is with Ouzo and how it changes when dispersed into water – known as the Ouzo Effect.  

In Ouzo, the dry anise-based liqueur, ethanol is the cosolvent that solubilizes the botanical oils. When Ouzo is diluted with water, the ethanol level drops, which makes the botanical oils less soluble. The oil droplets then disperse, which results in cloudiness or haziness. This method can also lead to bitter sensory qualities, which can be mitigated by adjusting the ratio of solvent to CBD as well as adding bitter blockers.  

Once a clear emulsion has been created, it remains clear when introduced into water, and the sensory experience is favorable, the last phase of the process is proof of concept analysis — putting the emulsion in a number of different style beverages and experimenting with temperature to see how it will react in different formulations. Then the emulsion goes through microbial testing, potency testing, long-term shelf-life testing, and bioavailability analysis. 

What are the downsides of using a clear emulsion? 

These are some of the downsides to choosing Clear over Standard: 

• The active ingredient is more vulnerable to degradation. 

In a standard, cloudy emulsion, the active ingredient is protected because the oil particles are enrobed by the emulsifier, which means that not as much UV light can pass through the beverage. With a clear beverage, the cannabinoids are more exposed to light, which can lead to a quicker rate of degradation. If the emulsion begins to cloud up, the producer will need to consider the product’s shelf life and how the cloudiness will be perceived by the customer.  

• It requires more R & D work on the front end of product development to ensure the final product is clear, so it might take longer to get the product to market.  

In a clear emulsion, the oil loading of the active material is lower than in the standard emulsion, which means it will require more emulsion to get the same dose. Also, the ingredients used in a clear emulsion are not the same as those used in the standard emulsion, so product developers will need to test how the emulsion ingredients interact with the beverage ingredients.  

If a product developer has been using the standard emulsion and wants to switch to a clear format, they may be limited in their use of certain ingredients to achieve the desired clarity.

Will the ingredients in the emulsion keep the product “clean label” and attractive for retailers? Are those ingredients safe for consumers?

In the US, the ingredients in most clear emulsions will keep the product “clean label” because they are deemed safe for consumers. In SōRSE’s standard and clear emulsions, all the ingredients minus the cannabinoids are Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) and have a long history of use in the Food and Beverage industry. 

That said, if a company is looking to sell their products globally, there are ingredients that are not allowed in international markets. Most companies should have different formulas and ingredient options to meet different regulatory requirements.   

What should a product producer look for when evaluating clear emulsions? 

When evaluating clear emulsions, you should ask the following questions of the supplier: 

• What ingredients are used in the emulsion? 

Some ingredients should be used with caution or in low concentration until they have been tested and vetted by the FDA.  

• Have long-term stability studies been done on the emulsion? 

If the answer is yes, review the data with the emulsion supplier so you understand how the product’s stability will impact the beverage’s shelf life.  

• How will a clear emulsion interact with the other ingredients in your beverage? 

You will also want to ensure the sensory profile matches your beverage formula’s profile and that you will be able to control any bitter aspects of the emulsion.  

Some ingredients will interact with emulsions whether clear or not, so it is important to do real life shelf testing with the infused finished product. 

• What will a timeline for launching a product with a clear emulsion look like?  

With a standard emulsion, some companies have been able to go to market in three months because it is relatively easy to plug the emulsion into the beverage formula. With a clear emulsion, it will likely take more time to work through the R & D process to make sure it’s compatible with the other ingredients and maintains its integrity through production. 

As mentioned earlier, if a producer is looking to launch their product in international markets, it might take longer to get regulatory approval given different countries’ rules on certain ingredients.  

• Is it easy for an emulsion provider to scale up a clear emulsion? 

Depending upon the equipment and processes being used, scaling up can be challenging. For companies that use sonication and other forms of processing to create their clear emulsion, scaling can be difficult given the production capabilities of the machinery used – the sonicator. A sonicator creates vibration that reduces the particles to nano particle size. Sonicators work best for small batches of emulsion, but using this method for large batches is less reliable than the process SōRSE uses to create its clear emulsion.

Final Thoughts

For beverage producers who are eager to get a product on the market quickly, the standard hazy emulsion would be the best choice for a few reasons: Haze offers a great sensory profile, is compatible with high acidity, allows for higher loading, and is easy to add into the production process. Aesthetically, cloudy beverages are more the norm than they were a few years ago, likely due to the popularity of hazy craft beers.

For beverage producers who can take time to work through R & D to get their product to market and whose customers prefer clarity in their beverages, utilizing a clear emulsion is an obvious choice for an infused product.  

Whatever your product development needs might be this year, SōRSE offers both standard and clear liquid emulsions for infused beverages.

Book a call with one of our team members to discuss what emulsion is right for you.