Cannabinoid (CBD) oils like most other things will eventually expire even though most CBD oil shelf life can be quite extended as determined by a lot of factors. Most products last as long as 2 years and some may even retain a substantial amount of its potency even after the stated cbd oil expiration date on the product.
On the other hand, some CBD oils may go bad even before their expiry date.
So apart from the possibility of labeling errors that have been found to be prevalent in most CBD products, there are other factors that can determine the answers to the questions, when, how and why does CBD oil go bad?
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Factors That Can Make CBD Oils Go Bad
The following are some of the most common factors that would determine how long a CBD oil product lasts.
Quality and Authenticity of Product
The quality of CBD oils can be affected by the quality of the cannabis plant and other contents of the oil. It is a scientifically proven fact that factors like plant species and variety, agricultural treatments like fertilization, sowing date and access to sunlight can greatly affect the pharmaceutical qualities of a cannabis plant.
This can in turn result in lower quality products like the Cannabidiol oils made from such plants. Again, does CBD oil go bad as a result of the quality of ingredients and additives used? Yes, there are other additives that can be found in the CBD oils whose quality can as well alter the overall quality of the product, like ethanol from an impure carrier oil.
Ingredients
The kind of ingredients used will greatly affect the CBD oil shelf life. Good quality ingredients in the right measurements ensure an overall good quality product with increased shelf life. The ingredients used vary from product to another with respect to the intended purpose of production.
Basically CBD oils contain the hemp extract and the carrier oil, other additives are to achieve a more specific health purpose or for preservation. Always look at the product label to see the ingredients used and other vital information like the right approvals, expiry date etc.
Wrong Labeling
Wrong labeling of CBD oils by some dubious manufacturers means that certain other ingredients contained are intentionally omitted. Most times it is a case of under-stating the quantity of certain ingredients that is actually contained.
A study carried out in the United Kingdom states that most unregulated CBD products are often mislabeled or mostly contain unlabelled harmful substances. Issues of wrong labeling can greatly distort the expected CBD oil shelf life as stated in the label and in some cases make the product even harmful before the written expiry date.
Process of Extraction
The most common way to extract CBD oils from the cannabis sativa plant is the solvent extraction method, but the best and ideal way to do this would be the supercritical CO2 extraction method.
This way the possibility of denaturation is totally avoided as well as other damages that might make the CBD harmful to humans. CBD oils extracted otherwise are definitely below the ideal standard and would mean reduced quality. Some may contain chlorophyll and other harmful contaminants.
Some other forms of impurities might also be present, which could make itl go bad before the expected cbd oil expiration date.
Storage Method
Some people may want to ask, does CBD oil go bad as a result of storage choices and how. Yes, the ideal conditions for storage of CBD oils is in a dark environment and under room temperature. It’s been shown that exposure to heat and light affects the stability of the oil. Do not open the container when you are not ready to use the oils as it is best kept in its container and in a cool place as well. CBD oils whose storage condition falls short of the above stated standard will definitely go bad before their expiry date.
How To Know That CBD Oil Has Gone Bad
Potency
There are various varieties of CBD oils products made for different purposes like bowel disease, pain due to cancer, anxiety, type 2 diabetes etc. In any case that the expiry date on the container bottle has been wiped off somehow and you’re trying to find out if the oil is still good for consumption, one of the ways to find out is by observing the degree of potency it still possesses after taking it. CBD oils may not become toxic upon expiry, but would definitely have a significant reduction in its potency.
Taste
Most CBD oils possess this bland earthy taste, somewhat grass-like taste. But upon expiry, the taste changes drastically and turns sour and acrid making it difficult to consume. This change in taste is easy to notice and may even occur before the expiry of the product in some cases.
Smell
In most cases the CBD oils bear the smell of the carrier oil, mixed with a whiff of the terpenes, the actual component that gives cannabis its distinct scent. In some cases, that smell of weed is greatly subdued. However, when the oil goes bad, the smell becomes rather harsh and pungent. You can’t miss that change in smell which tells you to dispose of the product.
Appearance
You might notice a change in the coloration of the CBD oils when they go bad. There appears this murky thick film in the once very transparent and single colored oil.
How Long Can You Keep CBD Oil?
But it is quite difficult to identify the accurately labelled ones over the counter without verifying their authenticity through personally pursued laboratory tests.
How Long Will CBD Oil Last Once Opened?
Once opened, it is expected that the stability of the CBD oil has been altered. Only if such product has been properly handled and stored afterwards would it remain very potent till expiry date.
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How Can You Tell If CBD Oil Is Good Quality?
CBD products might be enjoying a new surge in popularity and wide acceptance, but it is still largely a very unregulated industry in most countries. This makes it difficult to trust the quality of most products especially as contained on their label.
There have been wide reports of mislabeling and other dubious practices of some makers of these oils making it difficult to tell the real ingredients.
Ideally, good quality CBD oils should contain the hemp oil and other vitamin additives for peculiar functions.
See one of the best products on amazon, DR JOELS Premium Oil. It has a lot of good reviews and comes well recommended. Even though it is difficult to tell its real quality, a lot of consumers have found it quite useful.
What is Hemp Oil and Does Hemp Oil Expire?
Hemp oil on the other hand is different from the cannabinoid (CBD) oils. It also has other wide range of uses including as an additive and harner in putty, pigment binder in oil paints and other wood finishing uses.
Does Hemp oil expire? Yes it does and just like the CBD oil, its potency is highly dependent on the quality of the oil, method of extraction and storage conditions among other factors.
What is the shelf life of CBD Tinctures?
CBD tinctures are very different from CBD oils and their primary difference lies in the carrying agent. The tincture oils on the hand is an alcohol based product made by immersing the cannabis leaves in alcohol. The final product may have some other additives like flavors and so on.
Unlike the CBD oils, the average shelf life of a CBD tincture is about 5years as the alcohol presence helps to extend its potency. But conditions such as excessive exposure to sunlight may shorten the shelf life and make the tincture lose its potency earlier.
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References:
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology: Expiry Dates. (April 1994). Australian Prescriber.
- Cannabidiol (CBD) Oil: Critical Review Report. (June 2019). World Health Organisation.
- Hemp (Cannabis Sativa L.) Extract: Anti-Microbial Properties, Methods of Extraction, and Potential Oral Delivery. (April 2019). Taylor and Francis Online.
- An Analysis of Over-the-Counter Cannabidiol Products in the United Kingdom. (April 2020). MaryAnn Liebert Inc. Publishers.
- Cannabis sativa: The Plant of the Thousand and One Molecules. (February 2016). Frontiers in Plant Science.
- The Complete Guide to CBD Extractions (CO2, Olive Oil, Solvents). (July 2021). WayOfLeaf.
- Chlorophyll Biosynthesis. (July 1995). National Center for Biotechnology Information.
- Cancer micrometastases. (April 2009). Nature reviews Clinical Oncology – Nature.com
- Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Review of Current Trends (July 2012). US National Library of Medicine, National Institute of Health.
- Biotransformation of terpenes. (March – April 2006). Science Direct.
- The trouble with CBD Oil. (June 2018). Karger
- FDA Regulation of Cannabis and Cannabis-Derived Products, Including Cannabidiol (CBD). (January 2021) US Food And Drug Administration.
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