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Technical advances in cannabis curing focus on water activity and terpene stability

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6 months ago

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Curing is one of those phases of cannabis production that almost everyone agrees is important, but that importance hardly translates into cannabis facilities. It’s understandable that growers want to maximize their canopy space first and foremost. After all, more flowers, more income. However, the irony is that by the time a plant reaches the curing room, most of the money has already been spent. The genetics are locked in, the lights have done their job, the rooms have been marked, the harvest has been carefully handled. And yet, quality is often validated or left behind.

Simon Knobel of Calyx Containers has spent an amazing amount of time thinking about this disintegration. The company started about 9 years ago, when Simon and his co-founder Alex were still in school and adult cannabis was becoming legal in Massachusetts. “Back then, cannabis packaging meant pill bottles, borrowed wholesale from the pharmaceutical world and reused without much thought,” explains Simon. “Our initial instinct wasn’t to do something revolutionary. It was just to build something that made sense for cannabis.”

As the company developed a range of packaging formats, the focus was on quality at the point of sale. “Scent retention, ease of use, shelf life, that was the pace of our design process. What took longer to fully register was that the degradation didn’t just happen after packaging. In many cases, it was already baked in during curing.”

Simon and Calyx did extensive market research to understand what was happening with quality degradation. “It’s good to talk not only with operators, but with consumers.” A story stuck. Simon recalls interviewing a client who was on a ski trip with his family and trying to hide the fact that he had cannabis with him. This awkwardness of smell, discretion and manipulation became a design problem. The sliding cover, integrated gasket, meant the elimination of the twisting motion that gave some users a literal pain in the wrist. But it also opened up a deeper line of research.

As Calyx began to talk more seriously with growers, a recurring question came up. Where exactly does quality start to slip? To answer this, the company partnered with the Cannabis Research Coalition and worked with Dr. Allison Justice on research based on the cure. “What we found was that it wasn’t particularly comfortable for anyone relying on legacy methods,” says Simon. “One of the biggest drivers of terpene preservation was the stability of water activity. When water activity drops below 0.55 aW, the stomata begin to collapse, then shrink, then break. At that point, the mono-terpenes escape.”

These mono-terpenes are responsible for most of the aromas associated with quality cannabis. “They are also volatile in nature. Once they’re gone, they’re gone,” highlighted Simon.

© Calyx Vessels

Basic methods and alternatives
Traditional healing methods are based on burping. Opening containers, exchanging air, manually regulating humidity. “This methodology works, but it also introduces oxygen. In addition, the plant material is also subject to mechanical stress. Both oxygen and mechanical stress accelerate degradation, thus hampering quality.”

Calyx Cure was designed as an alternative to that ritual. “Instead of active intervention, Calyx Cure uses a passive atmospheric film with selective permeation properties. The layers are designed to allow specific gases to move through the material while others are restricted. Biological curing processes continue, but without opening the container, without introducing excess oxygen and without handling the flower.”

In controlled studies, Calyx saw a 33% improvement in monoterpene profile preservation compared to traditional approaches such as turkey pouches. “Practically speaking, that first hit of aroma you get when you open a jar, driven largely by monoterpenes, is intact.”

Complicating the picture is that curing is not reversible. There is a persistent belief that if cannabis dries out too much, there are no moisture packs or other interventions that can bring it back. “Excessive drying slows down the enzymatic reactions, alters the aging process and permanently changes the composition of the terpenes. Once the quality is lost at that stage, the bottle cannot revive it,” he said.

© Calyx Vessels

Curing and speed to market
Therefore, post-harvest processes cannot be the last element of cannabis facility design. “Sometimes speed or short-term cost savings drive the decision. Cure less, move product faster and assume the container will handle the rest.” Market dynamics don’t help either. When a new market opens and the shelves are empty, speed is rewarded and cutting corners can be the difference between hitting dispensaries later.

Calyx approaches it as a manufacturing and engineering problem rather than a branding exercise. Unlike much of the packaging industry, which operates largely as a middleman, Calyx operates its own factory in Utah. “That vertical integration allows us to iterate quickly. New designs can be prototyped in 1 or 2 weeks.”

This can be a huge plus, as quality control is a hot topic in the wider world of agriculture, not just cannabis. The industry often talks about wanting nutraceutical or food standards. These industries have already solved the complexity of the supply chain. They know how to produce in one region and deliver consistently to another. Cannabis, especially if it wants to move globally, will need similar discipline.”

And as with food packaging, sustainability is part of that equation in cannabis. Calyx has extensively studied compostable and hemp-based structures. “Compostable materials struggle with terpene conservation and water activity control. If the package breathes too much, the plant pays the price.”

Instead, Calyx’s approach to sustainability is based on reducing the use of materials at the manufacturing level. “The cover molded joint is a good example,” explains Simon. “Traditional seals require cutting circular inserts from large sheets, creating huge waste. We’ve designed molds where a small amount of polymer forms the cover and joint in one plane, creating almost zero waste and a fully recyclable component.”

Healing, it seems, is not passive waiting. “It’s an active and fragile process,” says Simon. “And like most fragile things in cannabis, it benefits from being engineered rather than inherited.”

For more information:
Calyx vessels
1991 W Parkway Blvd. West Valley City, UT, 84119-2026
724-303-7481
(email protected)
calyxcontainers.com

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Saxony-Anhalt state government backs hemp innovation center in Mücheln

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16 hours ago

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July 17, 2026

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The German state of Saxony-Anhalt is supporting the development of a hemp information and competence center in Müchelnen (Geiseltal). The joint project known as IKHE – “Information and Competence Center for Hemp with Experience Trails” – is being carried out by the city of Mücheln (Geiseltal), the University of Applied Sciences Merseburg and the German Hemp Academy (Deutsche Hanf-Akademie eV).

The project has been given approximately 3.8 million euros as part of the New European Bauhaus (NEB) initiative, fully financed by the European Union’s Just Transition Fund (JTF).

The funding announcement was presented in Mücheln (Geiseltal) on July 7, 2026 by Gert Zender, State Secretary of the Ministry of Economy, Tourism, Agriculture and Forestry of Saxony-Anhalt.

© New Bauhauslers

Hemp is a versatile plant and one of the oldest crops cultivated by humans. For centuries, it was used to produce textiles, paper, and building and construction materials, before being largely displaced by fossil-based raw materials. Today, the renewed use of hemp opens up new possibilities for the ecologically and economically efficient production of building materials and fiber products. Grown in rotation with other crops, hemp improves soil quality, requires no crop protection products and requires little water.

Hanffaser Geiseltal eG a hemp industry processing cooperative is already active in the region. While Hanffaser Geiseltal processes the raw material, the IKHE partners are working to establish the information and competence center as a center for knowledge transfer, education and testing. Together, these efforts are turning Mücheln (Geiseltal) into a location with experience covering the entire hemp value chain.

At the heart of IKHE is an experimental building workshop where new bio-based building materials made from hemp are developed, tested and demonstrated in experimental building projects. This is complemented by a self-help building workshop, where both professionals and the public can learn how to work with hemp-based building materials through combined theoretical and practical seminars, and receive hands-on guidance for their building projects. Experiential trails will also allow visitors to explore where and how hemp can be used, in a hands-on way, from construction and textiles to food and cosmetics.

© New Bauhauslers

A bottom-up participatory approach is central to the project. From the very beginning, local residents, associations, schools and regional initiatives have been actively involved in the development and implementation of the project through open workshops and practical activities. In this way, the project combines formal scientific and technical knowledge with the practical expertise of craftsmanship and regional traditions, reflecting the values ​​of the new European Bauhaus of being beautiful, sustainable and inclusive.

IKHE is an Applied NEB Project and will be in operation until 2028. It is supported by the NEB Network Office Saxony-Anhalt, acting on behalf of the State Chancellery and the Saxony-Anhalt Ministry of Culture.

Source: The new Bauhauslers

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Federal Marijuana Rescheduling Hearing Wraps Up, With DEA Judge Laying Out Next Steps

Published

16 hours ago

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July 17, 2026

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A Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) hearing The Trump administration’s cannabis rescheduling proposal concluded, and the agency judge overseeing the proceeding set a deadline for the parties involved to file post-hearing briefs before the next recommendation on reform.

The multi-day hearing, which began late last month, ended Wednesday after presentations from a handful of states opposing federal cannabis reform.

DEA Chief Administrative Law Judge Derek Julius issued an order Thursday, saying that because “no closing time was granted” during the court days, participants in the process will be able to file post-trial documents, which are due Aug. 17.

Those documents can be up to 50 pages long and can include “closing arguments and arguments on any other matter raised by the court at the hearing.”

“This is a non-mandatory submission, so a named party will not be penalized for failing to file a post-hearing brief, and the absence of a submission means that there was no submission,” Julius wrote.

His order also states that participants can submit corrections to the daily transcripts of the proceedings by August 17.

“The amendments submitted by the designated parties are only proposed amendments. This panel will also examine the transcript for possible errors and indicate where amendments are needed,” wrote the judge. “The list created by the court will be compared with the list submitted by the Named Parties to create a list of final corrections. Thereafter, this court will issue an order approving the list of final corrections and include those corrections in the official copy of the transcript.”

“A fully redacted copy of the transcript of these proceedings will be made publicly available on the Agency’s website,” Julius said.

The judge said in his closing statement at the end of Wednesday’s hearing that he will work on writing his recommendation after receiving the next briefs on whether the government should move forward with broad marijuana rescheduling, but stressed that the final decision would rest with the DEA administrator.

Julius did not specify an anticipated timeline for the administrator’s recommendation of action.

At the hearing, DEA officials were tasked with defending the proposed cannabis reorganization featured testimony about the medical benefits of marijuana and its relative safety compared to other substances such as alcohol and opioids. It included appearances by a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) scientist and a doctor from New Hampshire. Medical marijuana provides relief to pain patients and can serve as an alternative to opioids.

Meanwhile, attorneys and witnesses for the parties opposing marijuana redistricting who attended the hearing focused on the alleged harms of cannabis use, as well as criticism of the recently approved changes. an analysis used to determine whether or not drugs have approved medical value.

DEA Administrator Terrance Cole only organizations and individuals opposed to marijuana reform have been invited to the hearing as a designated participant – telling followers that they do not meet the definition of “interested person” to participate because they are not “affected or prejudiced by any rule or proposed rule that may be issued.”

Participating opposition parties include Smart Approaches to Marijuana, the National Drug & Alcohol Screening Association, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, DUID Victim Voices, Kenneth Finn, Phillip A. Drum, and the states of Idaho, Indiana, and Nebraska.

Before the hearing began last month, marijuana reform activists rallied They held a press conference outside DEA headquarters to highlight how they feel of the process – that supporters of the reform were not invited to participate and that the proceedings were not broadcast live, despite the officials’ vow of “transparency”.

Marihuana Moments sent petitions to DEA Chief Administrative Law Judge Derek Julius and DEA Administrator Cole asking for them reverse the decision to ban the public from tuning into the cannabis hearing via live stream. A Congressmen and other journalists later joined that request.

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Backing us at the $25/month level, you’ll have access to our Bill Tracker so you don’t miss any important marijuana legislation in your state.
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Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche in April He issued an order that immediately reclassified the state’s licensed medical cannabisas well as marijuana products approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under Schedule I through Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).

A separate order was signed by the acting attorney general hearing marijuana III.

Preliminary hearing process on the marijuana redistricting process initiated by the Biden administration It was halted last year amid allegations of improper communications and witness selection.

the current The marijuana redistricting process is being challenged in several ways which have been upheld by a federal Court of Appeals. those pieces of State attorneys general have filed lawsuits against cannabis reform, Opponents of marijuana legalization and a a cannabis-based biopharmaceutical corporation.

Meanwhile, the reorganization of state-licensed medical cannabis is already having a major impact.

The Congressional Research Service published a report on the current rescheduling of cannabis Certified patients with medical marijuana from state licensed dispensaries are now eligible for Class III. “The order appears to allow end users to use marijuana medically without a CSA prescription,” he says.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has published a Draft update to a gun purchase form to recognize the legal status of medical marijuana in the reprogramming. The revised section of the question states that only the “recreational use or possession of marijuana” is federally prohibited, omitting the prior form’s mention of medical cannabis.

The US Treasury and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) said they plan to issued new tax guidelines for the marijuana industry after reprogramming. The reform will benefit state-licensed marijuana businesses by allowing them to take federal tax deductions that are currently prohibited under IRS Code Section III, known as Section 280E.

Even the DEA, which has long opposed cannabis legalization and accused the Biden administration of stalling the initiative in the reorganization process, has done so. It launched a registration process for legal marijuana businesses in the state to take advantage of the federal benefits that come with the reform.

The Department of Transport, on the other hand, issued guidelines stating this use Legal medical cannabis in the state is still no excuse for truck drivers to test positive for drugspilots and other safety-sensitive personnel.

The The War Department released a memo making it clear that military service members were using marijuana and civilian employees of the department remain prohibited, even in the federal rescheduling of cannabis.

A congressional committee recently Federal officials voted to block further steps to reschedule cannabishowever lawmakers from both parties told Marihuana Moment they don’t think that provision will be enacted become law

Read the DEA’s post-trial hearing the order below:

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Photo Report: Cultivate 2026

Published

2 days ago

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July 16, 2026

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New varieties, commercial trends, packaging solutions, greenhouse developments, microbiological products, crop protection – there was a lot to see, learn, do and discover at Cultivate 2026, and we’ll be sure to share it all with you in the coming days. But first, it’s picture time (and nap time).

See the supplier photo report Cultivate 2026 here.

Find photo coverage of gardening companies on our sister site FloralDaily.

© Arlette Sijmonsma | MMJDaily.com

Pipp / GGS, the Berger team, the VidaWool team and Beneficial Insectary Cultivate are all at 2026.










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