Thanx for the interest, fellows. This is probably going to be classified as a TMI post so I'll give those with limited patience a little tease and say I'm enamored enough with these additives that I'm not going to be too concerned with terpene retention in my cannabis processing any longer.
I'm one of the biggest cynics you'll ever encounter but often an inquisitive mind will be the overruling factor. So is the case in this instance but I'm still a bit anal about putting unknown chemicals in my body. So I did a good bit of research and would like to share what I've found.
I'm a big fan of Dr Ethan Russo. While I don't think he's considered the "father" of the entourage effect, he's been a very instrumental proponent and researcher of the theory. In a recent interview, I was a little disillusioned when he rather emphatically came down against terpene isolates. Being pressed a bit further, he confessed it wasn't so much the terpenes themselves that garnered his concerns, but the unknown contaminants that they contained.
Purity ratings of terpene isolates range from 95-99%. There's no legal mandate for manufacturers to identify that remaining 1-5% mystery ingredient, a definite point of concern. Excluding synthesized terpenes, isolates can be derived from three sources; cannabis, various plant matter and byproducts of petroleum distillation. Contamination from the residue of petroleum distillation is a little alarming and something I'd prefer to steer clear of. Unfortunately, manufacturers aren't required to divulge the source their product and some liberties taken by some of the marketers can be a bit misleading. In fact, I ran across one brand that touted their product was organic even though it was derived from a petroleum product. Their rationale was crude oil was organic! Additionally, beware of Chinese imports. They are typically the lowest purity rating and who knows what these contaminates are or from what the isolates are derived.
While I initially thought I'd prefer an isolate extracted from cannabis, I can find no conflicting evidence that terpenes are terpenes are terpenes! When I started sourcing some cannabis extracts, the price convinced me to consider alternative products. Check Blue River Terpenes site. At $60-150 for .25ml, that figures out to $15-20 per DROP and up! Thanx but I'll pass.
My quest turned quickly to finding a domestic source for a product derived from plant matter other than cannabis. A lot of companies are marketing a product from True Terpene. I think this company wholesales to these various marketers and gives them some type of licensing agreement for their product, but you can also buy directly from True Terpene at a fairly reasonable price.
In spite of this rather alarming warning on their site, after some research I did place an order with them:
DANGER
Flammable liquid and vapor. Store in a well-ventilated place. Keep cool. Store locked up. Keep away from heat / sparks / open flames / hot surfaces. No smoking. Keep container tightly closed. Ground / bond container and receiving equipment. Use explosion-proof electrical / ventilating / lighting / equipment. Use only non-sparking tools. Take precautionary measures against static discharge. In case of fire: Use dry sand, dry chemical or alcohol-resistant foam for extinction. May be fatal if swallowed and enters airways. Causes skin irritation and may cause an allergic skin reaction. Avoid breathing dust / fume / gas / mist / vapours / spray. Wash skin thoroughly after handling. Contaminated work clothing should not be allowed out of the workplace. Avoid release to the environment. Wear protective gloves / eye protection / face protection. IF SWALLOWED: Immediately call a POISON CENTER or doctor / physician. IF ON SKIN (or hair): Remove / Take off immediately all contaminated clothing. Rinse skin with water / shower. Do NOT induce vomiting. If skin irritation or rash occurs: Get medical advice / attention. Take off contaminated clothing and wash before reuse. Harmful to aquatic life. Dispose of contents / container to an approved waste disposal plant.
A bit unsettling, huh?!? They go to great lengths in their FAQ section in an attempt to reassure safety. Still a bit dubious but Ben Cassidy, the COO, says it's a legal MSDS requirement for bulk amounts. Also, he contends the 1% impurity in their product is simply an alternate terpene due to less than 100% refraction efficiency of the steam distillation process. They also have a GRAS certification for oral ingestion or topical use. Inhalation, however, doesn't have a comparable blessing.
Gotta take a break for a while. I'll let this digest and post later on my experience with my initial order of Limonene and Alpha-Pinene.
