How to Spot Mold In Your Cannabis
Cannabis is susceptible to microbial growth when improperly dried, cured, or stored. These microbes include mildews, fungi, and of course, molds. But mold can be trickier to spot in cannabis than in those old vegetables in your fridge — although cannabis may sometimes be visibly moldy, it is not always readily apparent when microbial growth has reached hazardous levels.
In this blog, you will learn:
How mold forms in cannabis
What moldy cannabis looks like
How to check cannabis for mold at home
How to prevent moldy cannabis
How does mold form in cannabis?
Mold can form on cannabis in many ways, at any point in the supply chain. That is why lab testing should be performed at multiple stages; it is the best way to ensure that cannabis does not become contaminated with microbes before it reaches the end consumer.
Here are some of the main ways mold can form in cannabis:
Inadequate cultivation environment: Mold can attack cannabis plants while they are still growing. This makes it very important for cultivators to tightly control the cultivation environment. Overly humid grow rooms can promote the growth of mold due to high levels of moisture in the air. The risk is compounded further when there is limited airflow, giving the moisture no way to escape. Mold can also grow in soil as a result of overwatering, keeping the growing medium wet and soggy with stagnant, stale water.
Improper drying and curing: Immediately after harvest is a crucial time for cannabis plants. Drying and curing is the process of reducing the moisture content and water activity in the freshly harvested buds and then preserving them so they remain fresh for as long as possible. If cannabis flower is not properly dried, it will retain excessive moisture which could promote the growth of mold even if the flower is properly stored afterward.
Improper transportation conditions: If cannabis is not stored properly on its way to the dispensary, then it could pick up some mold spores along the way. This is especially true for lengthy trips, but anytime cannabis is in transit, it should be sealed in an airtight container and kept in cool, dark, dry conditions.
Contaminated manufacturing equipment: Even cannabis flower that has been cultivated, harvested, dried, cured, and transported properly could be susceptible to mold from contaminated manufacturing equipment. For example, a biomass mill used to grind cannabis flower before extraction could become contaminated from a previous batch of moldy flower. This simple mistake could ruin an entire batch of flower.
Improper storage: Failure to store cannabis properly, both in the dispensary and at home after purchase, will inevitably lead to moldy product. Be sure to store your cannabis in cool, dark, dry conditions in an airtight container, and only handle it when ready to consume it to avoid contamination.
What does mold in cannabis look like?
The appearance of mold can vary based on the type and species. Even the same types of mold may look slightly different, depending on the species and the conditions in which they grow. However, once mold grows to the point that it becomes visible to the naked eye, you can typically identify it just by looking at it. Some of the most common types of mold you may encounter in cannabis are bud rot, powdery mildew, and Aspergillus.
Bud rot
Botrytis cinerea is a type of gray mold that occurs during cultivation and is known to cultivators as “bud rot.” Bud rot typically slowly takes over the entirety of the flower, colonizing it from the inside out and rendering it unsafe to consume. Bud rot in its more advanced stages can be identified visually by a layer of white fuzz running from the stem of the bud up toward the flower.
Powdery mildew
Powdery mildew is a type of mold that tends to attack harvested cannabis buds that have not been properly dried, cured, or stored. Named for its powder-like appearance, this mold can come in a variety of colors, from white to gray to yellow. In its nascent form, powdery mildew may appear like cobwebs or fine dust, so be sure to examine your flower very closely before consuming it to ensure powdery mildew isn’t present.
Aspergillus
Aspergillus appears much like cotton, initially starting off white and then transitioning to various shades of gray, black, yellow, or brown, depending on the species. Aspergillus can also be identified by a musty smell caused by volatile organic compounds (VOCs) it releases while growing.
There are a variety of species of Aspergillus that may affect cannabis plants, as well as a few that cause serious health issues in consumers. These include A. flavus, A. fumigatus, A. niger, and A. terreus, varieties of the common mold species that may cause respiratory issues and a condition known as aspergillosis if consumed.
How to check cannabis for mold
While all cannabis sold in dispensaries is required to have been lab tested before going to the dispensary, you should ask for the certificate of analysis (CoA) and review the testing results. High water activity or moisture content could be a warning sign that the cannabis product is more susceptible to mold growth. Also, the CoA may show that some microbial presence was detected, even though it was not reaching state-defined action levels which would require product remediation or destruction.
Mold can develop at any time, even after the product has been tested. In addition to reviewing the CoA, it is recommended to run these simple checks before consuming your cannabis products to confirm there is no mold present.
The sight test: This is the next best defense against mold. Typically, when mold has grown to a significant mass, it can be identified by the naked eye. Always examine your product closely before consuming. If you notice anything that looks like mold, do not consume it. Remember, though, that mold is not always visible, so you should take your checks a few steps further.
The smell test: Mold has an odor that is likened to a musty attic or basement. In some cases, mold may smell stale and pungent, like sweat. If your cannabis flower smells musty, do not consume it. However, some types of mold do not produce these odors at all, so you should also run an additional test.
The touch test: The touch test helps you assess whether your cannabis has been properly dried and cured. Dry cannabis flower should easily crumble and break apart when touched and pulled. If your cannabis is overly sticky and damp when you try to pull it apart, it is a good sign it was not properly dried, and it could be, or could easily become, contaminated with mold.
Is moldy cannabis safe?
Moldy cannabis is not safe to consume. At minimum, consuming moldy cannabis could result in heavy coughing, nausea, and vomiting. At worst, consuming moldy cannabis could result in serious or life-threatening illnesses, particularly for people with weakened immune systems. Moldy cannabis should be destroyed or properly discarded.
What should you do if you spot mold in cannabis?
The first thing you should do with moldy cannabis is set it aside in a safe place where nobody will consume it or assume that it is safe to consume.
If your cannabis is old and has not been stored at home properly, you should destroy or properly discard it. However, if your cannabis was moldy straight out of the packaging from the dispensary, there are a few steps you should take.
First, check for a recall that might have been issued through the vendor’s website, the dispensary’s website, the media, or by state officials. In New Jersey, for example, the authority to mandate recalls of cannabis that has either failed laboratory testing or has reached market despite contamination lies with the NJ Cannabis Regulatory Commission (NJCRC), a government body responsible for regulating the state’s medical and adult use cannabis industries.
If no recalls have been issued, you may want to report your findings to the dispensary you bought the cannabis from. That location may have more products from the same batch on their shelves and your notification could prevent them from selling more moldy cannabis.
Finally, document the mold in detailed photos from multiple angles before destroying it or discarding it where someone else will not find and consume it. You should submit your documentation to the NJ Cannabis Regulatory Commission for further action.
How to prevent mold growth on your cannabis at home
Preventing mold growth on non-contaminated cannabis at home is simple.
Store your flower in a cool, dry environment. The ideal temperature for storing cannabis is in between 60℉ and 68℉, while the best target humidity is between 59% and 64%.
Store your flower in an airtight container that is made of glass. Ideally, choose dark glass or cover the outside of the container to prevent light from entering.
Avoid handling your flower excessively. Only remove it from its container to consume it. Quickly replace whatever flower you did not use and reseal the container.
It’s that easy to preserve your cannabis properly at home. So once your flower passes the sight, smell, and touch test, be sure to store it properly for the utmost longevity.
Break the mold with proper cannabis care
When a cannabis product has been tested by a third-party laboratory along its way from cultivator to consumer, you can be sure it is in good shape when you buy it in the dispensary environment. However, mold is sneaky and can begin to form even when everything has been done right, so it is important to check your cannabis before consuming and store it properly once it is in your possession.