A Southern California ingredient company has achieved demonstration-scale production of cannabigerolic acid (CBGA), a minor cannabinoid.
San Diego-based Creo recently announced that it had produced cannabigerol (CBG) and CBGA through fermentation at a 12,500-liter scale.
According to the company, the new system has matched or exceeded expectations.
Previously, Creo has commercialized fermentation-based processes for plastics, cosmetics, and apparel.
More CBG, Please
Cannabis plants do not produce CBG or CBGA in large amounts, making extracting and studying them a challenge.
CBG is sometimes referred to as the mother cannabinoid, as other cannabinoids derive from it.
But after the conversion, there is very little CBG left intact in the plant.
To facilitate increased access to CBG and CBGA, Creo partnered with San Diego-based Genomatica to create a fermentation technology platform.
“We’re excited to be with Creo at the forefront of innovation in this fast-moving industry,” says Genomatica Senior VP of R&D Nelson Barton. “We’re glad to have demonstrated, yet again, Genomatica’s expertise in driving fermentation-based processed from idea to commercial readiness, and to showcase our technology delivering another performance product in health and wellness.”
According to Creo, the platform enables the consistent production of high-quality, rare cannabinoids at scale.
Creo says that the purity level of the system is also higher than other methods.
“With this demo run, Creo has cemented its leadership position in the emerging market for fermentation-based cannabinoids,” says Creo CEO Roy Lipski. “This is a very significant milestone for Creo and a major step towards enabling cannabinoid ingredients to reach every household, through wellness, beauty, food, and beverage products.”
Creo produces its cannabinoids in the United States in an FDA-registered facility that is food CGMP-compliant.
Creo says that the fermentation process uses less water, energy, and land than traditional cannabis cultivation and extraction methods.
While traditional methods will continue, fermentation technology can potentially facilitate the mass production of low-cost, high-quality cannabinoids.
Creo plans to begin commercial production and supply in Q2 2021.
