CBD Extraction: Broad-Spectrum Oil vs. CBD Isolate

As a company that specializes in manufacturing CBD extraction equipment, we are more interested in the extraction process than the CBD products customers actually buy. There is little difference between broad-spectrum CBD oil and CBD isolate from our perspective as equipment manufacturers. Yet to processors and consumers, there are plenty of differences that are well worth understanding.

For the purposes of this article, CBD extraction and the products derived from it are related to industrial hemp. Legal marijuana extraction equipment is also on our product list, but marijuana and its byproducts will not be discussed here.

As for industrial hemp, it was legalized around the country by the 2018 Farm Bill. Legalization has given rise to a very robust industry that transforms industrial hemp into retail CBD products. The process of doing so begins with harvest and extraction. That is where we come in.

Multiple Extraction Methods

 

Regular readers of our blog know that there are multiple ways to extract CBD from plant material. We will not go into those details here, as we have already done so in previous posts. Needless to say, processors may choose an extraction method based on a desire to produce broad-spectrum oil or a CBD isolate.

A broad-spectrum oil is considered the purest form of CBD oil on the market. It not only contains a CBD, but all the other cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, etc. extracted from the plant material. For all intents and purposes, broad-spectrum oil is raw CBD oil. It is everything you can get out of the plant before filtering or distilling.

CBD isolate may start out as a full-spectrum oil, but all the other constituents have either been significantly reduced or removed entirely. The whole point is to concentrate the CBD content so that your isolate product is as strong and concentrated as it can be.

CBD Content by Volume

 

The CBD extraction process produces an oil with a ton of stuff in it. Broad-spectrum oil contains more CBD by volume than a CBD isolate, but less in comparison to the oil’s other constituents. This is why CBD isolate is considered a concentrated product. If you are confused, think about the difference between orange juice concentrate and reconstituted orange juice.

You can buy orange juice concentrate in small cans at the grocery store. To reconstitute it, you pour the liquid into a pitcher and add water. You end up with a larger volume of material but a lower concentration of the main ingredients that make up orange juice. CBD isolate is comparable to orange juice concentrate while broad-spectrum oil is comparable to reconstituted orange juice.

 

Quality Extraction Techniques

 

Though there are differences between CBD isolate and broad-spectrum oil, the one thing they have in common is this: their overall quality is heavily reliant on the extraction techniques utilized by processors. Higher-quality techniques yield better results. Likewise, higher quality extraction equipment makes for a better end product.

The demand for high-quality CBD products is such that businesses cannot afford to skimp on processes or equipment if they hope to compete in what is now a very crowded market. New extraction startups need to remain true to the old adage that says you have to spend money to make it. That is no lie in the CBD industry.

Whether you are hoping to produce broad-spectrum CBD oil or a CBD isolate, you can count on us for high-quality extraction equipment. Let us talk about your goals and preferred extraction methods. Together, we can come up with an extraction system custom designed around your business model, budget, and space constraints.