In a world with many acronyms, what is CRC? Though Penn Health Group does not use CRC for our solvent based extracts, we want you to know what it is, and why we choose not to use it.
Color Remediation Chromatography, or CRC, has been a part of the industry since 2016. It's a process which many labs use to filter out undesirable impurities in solvent based cannabis extracts, such as dark colors, bad smells, and/or residual pesticides. This can be done by making several passes through any combination of some of the following mediums: bentonite clay, diatomaceous earth, silica, activated charcoal, and Magnesol, and many others. While these mediums may filter out impurities, they also strip the extract of its natural terpenes and other beneficial secondary metabolites. Many labs will add terpenes (either cannabis derived or botanical) back into the extract for aroma and flavor.
But if CRC is just taking out impurities, then why should I worry?
While all the mediums used in CRC are approved by the FDA, it is for digestion only, not inhalation. When third party testing is done, they do not test for these particles, which means we don't know if they end up in the concentrate or not. While very little research is done on the vaporization and inhalation of these materials, there have been studies on miners who have had prolonged contact with inhaling bentonite clay and diatomaceous earth. Results show that long periods of being exposed to these materials through inhalation can cause respiratory damage, cancer, emphysema, and other illnesses. Certain types of bentonite clay have also been found to have lead in them. At this time, brands do not need to disclose if they color remediate or not, meaning patients do not have all the information required to make an educated decision about what extracts they medicate with.
The most common reason for utilizing CRC is the use of poor-quality plant material for extraction, which leaves behind many impurities. At PHG, we use our quality, pesticide-free flower for all of our concentrates, so there are little to no residual imperfections to filter out. Our team is devoted to preserving the true essence, profile, and medicinal value that can be delivered by the cannabis we grow. PHG's commitment to clean, safe medicine rings true in all we grow and process, and is the reason we do not color remediate when processing extracts.
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