Alpha-CAT: democratizing the quality of cannabinoid-based products

The cannabis industry now involves many sectors and players: hemp farmers and processors, doctors and pharmacists, researchers and scientists, breeders and growers, patients and caregivers. Yet it still lacks rigorous standards applied to medicine or any other industry.

What cannabinoids are present in products? How do you know their precise concentrations? How to titrate the dosage? How can I produce a reliable, stable, high-quality product? What are the therapeutic differences between different varieties of cannabis? These are just some of the questions that often go unanswered.

The absence of standards

At present, there are no government standards to guarantee the quality and safety of cannabis-derived products. However, standards recognized by governments and even harmonized across the European Union would guarantee the safety of patients and the soundness of the industry. In the absence of regulation, consumers have no real way of differentiating between serious and less-than-serious or even unscrupulous companies.

In an astonishing report, the Spanish Observatory of Medical Cannabis - a non-profit association for the promotion of medical cannabis - had CBD oils from commonly purchased brands analyzed by two independent laboratories. Only a third of the oils analyzed actually contained the levels of CBD claimed on their labels. Among the proliferation of brands and products, consumers have no guarantees.

For Alpha-CAT laboratories It is imperative to establish a qualitative system. Many countries have authorized the use of medical cannabis, but most of them suffer from a lack of quality control. The reintroduction of cannabis as medicine requires the introduction of a quality and safety management system«. To compensate for the absence of legal standards, Alpha-CAT laboratories have created a certification, an industry-recognized standard that functions as a guarantee of quality.

Democratizing quality

What is a quality product? It's a stable, homogeneous and safe product. It's also a product that contains no traces of pesticides, heavy metals or other pollutants. Finally, it's a product whose cannabinoid concentration is transparent. To this end, Alpha-CAT offers testing solutions accessible to all. To democratize quality, the aim is to provide as many producers as possible with standards and the means to test the quality and safety of their products at an affordable price.

At present, cannabinoid testing is carried out in specialized laboratories using high-pressure liquid chromatography or gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. This costs around €100 to €200 per sample. In addition to the cost, the samples have to be sent to the laboratory. This is a lengthy and sometimes dangerous process, depending on the legislation in force. That's why Alpha-CAT has developed a new, less expensive and more practical analysis technology in the form of portable kits.

This tool combines the analysis techniques of thin layer chromatography (TLC) and the more specific analysis of thin layers and test liquids. It enables the identification of 6 cannabinoids (CBD, CBN, THC, THCV, CBG, CBC) from 0.1 gram samples and works on a wide range of products: oils, flowers, resins, cosmetics, dyes and edible products.

How does it work? The active ingredients can be visualized using a colorimetric reaction. Each colored spot represents a cannabinoid, and the higher its concentration, the larger the spot and the more intense its color. Based on the appearance of the spots and a reference table, it is possible to determine the active profile of the cannabinoids contained in the product. The Alpha-CAT method therefore enables anyone, regardless of scientific training, to check product quality - and all for less than €9 per sample.

This analytical method is recognized by the UNODC and the U.S. Pharmacopoeia Convention - a scientific organization that sets standards used in over 140 other countries for medicines and food products. Alpha-CAT tests also comply with European GMP standards and WHO requirements concerning the safety and quality of equipment used for medicinal plants. Alpha-CAT tests are sold internationally in many countries and for professionals from a wide range of fields: agriculture, food processing, cosmetics, horticulture, medicine, pharmacology etc.

More about Alpha-CAT

Sébastien Béguerie is founder and CEO of Alpha-CAT Laboratories. He holds a master's degree in plant science, with a specialization in plant physiology and expertise in medical cannabis. His ambition is to understand the inner mechanism of the plant and help determine the optimal cannabinoid concentrations for medicine. He is also co-founder of the patient association Union Francophone pour les Cannabinoïdes en Médecine (UFCM-I Care).

Alpha-CAT is also product manufacturer. Laboratories offer their own CBD oils and CBG, 100% and enriched with Provençal organic olive oil, as well as cosmetics, e-liquids with unique recipes and CBD crystals crystallized in their laboratory for a guaranteed purity of 99.5%.