Standardization News

A proposed ASTM International standard will cover the determination of moisture as water by weight for cannabis flowers and leaves. ASTM’s committee on cannabis (D37) is developing the proposed standard.

According to ASTM International member Annie Massey, product specialist at Mettler Toledo, “the test method will outline the proper sample weight, preparation, and analysis techniques; time and temperature, to obtain accurate moisture, water content by mass, and the content of cannabis plant materials where there is a high risk of inaccurate results in phytocannabinoid and terpenoid rich cannabis.”

Phytocannabinoid are molecules synthesized by plants, there are 113 known phytocannabinoid in the cannabis plant. Terpenes are the aromatic oils that color cannabis varieties with distinctive flavors.

The proposed standard (WK73584) will help prevent inaccuracies of THC content calculations and will be useful to testing laboratories within the cannabis industry.

ASTM welcomes participation in the development of its standards. Become a member of ASTM.