When a product is tested months after an event, the result describes the sample at the time of analysis. Milay and colleagues stored whole and ground cannabis flower and extracts in the dark at several temperatures for up to a year. They then compared cannabinoid and terpenoid profiles over time.
Different compounds changed under different conditions
Among the temperatures tested, storage at 25°C produced the largest changes in natural phytocannabinoid concentrations. Terpenoid levels declined under all tested conditions, with grinding among the conditions the researchers found least favorable for preserving them. The results show why one compound’s stability cannot establish the stability of the entire profile.
For a retained sample, the useful records include whether it was ground, how it was stored and when the laboratory tested it. The experiment identifies conditions that can change composition. Reconstructing a specific sample’s earlier composition would require evidence about that sample and its storage history.
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