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Services We Offer

Whether you are a user, producer or grower of cannabis or experiment with cannabis products, you need to know that your product is of the desired quality.

We offer testing of anything cannabis-related, from simple potency, cannabinoid and terpene profiling to residual solvents and microbial count. Our portfolio has now also expanded to be able to report on the presence of mycotoxins, heavy metals and pesticides. Enquire for these tests.

The growing recognition by authorities that cannabis is a valuable source of industrial material, food and medicine, coupled with the potential for cannabis cultivation to be a key economic driver for reconstruction after COVID-19, creates an urgent need for the cannabis industry to be formalised.

Standards are a vital component of a formalised industry. Standards ensure that all cannabis products on the market – whether raw flower or manufactured products – are safe to use and can be trusted to meet label claims.

View Qure Proposed Standards Document

Potency Test

R600

Cannabinoid Profile
(Includes potency) Priced from:

R975

Terpenes

R975

Solvents

R400

Microbials
(Full micro: 5 tests for the price of 4)

R300

Water Content

R200

Pesticides

R1 500

Heavy Metals

R1 800

Mycotoxins

R2 500

Testing for the good things

Potency Test

The potency test is internationally defined as a test of the main cannabinoids: THC and CBD.

Our potency test is part of the Cannabinoid Profile (see below), and gives you an overview of the potency of your strain/product, whether for medicinal or recreational use. This test can be done on samples of any form, including edibles.

The information we give you: The potency test will give you a result for the content of cannabinoids CBD, CBDA, THC, and THCA as a percentage per mass of your total product.

Cannabinoid Profile

The cannabinoid profile is a sensitive and detailed test that can be done on samples of any form, including edibles.

The information we give you: Each of the cannabinoids will be shown as a percentage per mass of tested product. We offer three levels of testing to suit every need:

• Simple – this is essentially a potency test that specifies CBD, CBDA, THC and THCA.

• Cannabinoid Profile – specifying the cannabinoids CBDV, THCV, CBL, total CBD, CBC, Δ8-THC, total THC (also known as Δ9-THC), CBG, and CBN. The levels of CBDA and THCA are included in total CBD and total THC respectively.

• With Acid-forms – this has the same result as the Cannabinoid Profile, except that it distinguishes CBDA and CBD as well as THCA and THC.

Why test the cannabinoid profile?
Each cannabinoid has certain benefits and different combinations of cannabinoids can result in slightly different effects.

Terpenes

Terpenes contribute to the organoleptic properties (smell and taste) of cannabis and they also have been shown to play a significant role in combination with the cannabinoids in the entourage effect of the plant. Terpene testing can be done on any samples containing cannabis.

Why test for terpenes?
Why do some strains smell like citrus? Why are some strains more woody? It is the terpenes! Find your favourite combination.

Terpenes we can show

The terpene assay gives you a quantitative picture of which of the following terpenes and how much of each are present in your sample:

⍺-Bisabolol
Borneol
Camphene
Caryophyllene oxide
β-Caryophyllene
p-Cymene
Eucalyptol (Cineole)
Geraniol
Isopulegol
Limonene
Linalool

Myrcene
⍺-Ocimene
β-Ocimene
⍺-Pinene
β-Pinene
⍺-Terpinene
ɣ-Terpinene
⍺-Terpineol
Terpinolene
Valencene

Testing for the bad things

Solvents

When doing solvent extractions (e.g. butane, ethanol, etc.) you want to be certain that all the solvent has been removed from the concentrated extract. The solvent test checks if there are any solvents remaining in the product, enabling you to ensure the purest product possible. This test is recommended for any extract that has been in contact with a solvent.

The information we give you: The residual solvent test lets you know if and how much of the extraction solvent is still present in the sample.

Why test for solvents? Is your product safe to use?
This is important for recreational users and critical for people who take cannabis for medicinal reasons (as they take large quantities and their bodies are health compromised). It is nearly impossible to remove all traces of solvents in these extracts, but depending on the type of solvent used, maximum safe limits are set for products meant to be inhaled, as well as products meant to be ingested or applied topically (See Qure Proposed Standards for more information). If you are sure that the residual solvents in your extracts are below the acceptable levels, you know that your product is safe for use.

We can test for the following solvents:

Butane
Methanol
Pentane
Ethanol
Diethyl ether (aka ether)
Acetone
Isopropanol (aka isopropyl alcohol)
Acetonitrile
Methylene chloride (aka dichloromethane)
Hexane

Ethyl acetate
Chloroform
Cyclohexane
Benzene
1,2-Dichloroethane
Heptane
Trichloroethane
Toluene
o-Xylene, m-Xylene, p-Xylene

Microbial Impurities

Herbal medicines are all subject to microbial contamination from soil, air and water. Microbial contamination of plant materials is mainly attributed to aerobic bacteria, enterobacteria (e.g. E. coli, Salmonella), yeast and mould. The development of the contaminants is influenced by environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, harvesting, handling and storage.

In order to maintain the appropriate quality, safety and efficacy of these natural products, growers and producers, therefore, need to ensure the lowest possible level of contamination – and the way to show no / low levels of contamination is to test the products.

We can do a full microbial analysis or test individually for:

  • Total aerobic count
  • E. coli
  • Coliforms
  • Yeast & Mould
  • Salmonella

Pesticides

Despite the fact that pesticides are harmful, many growers still use pesticides to improve their yields. Setting limits on the maximum levels of Pesticide Residues ensures that plants and their products are safe to use and ingest.

As a result of the wide range of pesticides used around the world, regions have diverse Pesticide Residue regulations. For South Africa, Qure suggests testing for pesticides referred to in the African Standard for African Traditional Medicine (“ATM”) and The South African Foodstuffs Act. Where discrepancies between the two were found, ATM was given precedence as it specifically applies to herbal medicines.

Heavy Metals

Metals that have a high density or atomic weight are called “heavy” metals. These include Arsenic (“As”), Cadmium (“Cd”), Lead (“Pb”) and Mercury (“Hg”). The high degree of toxicity of these metals makes them significant with respect to human and animal health. Depending on your location and the history of the soil, these metals may be present to varying degrees. Cannabis and hemp roots will suck up and retain these harmful metals as well as other chemical contaminants, such as mining and industrial wastes, vehicle emissions, lead-acid batteries, fertilisers, paints and treated woods. (Hemp has been used successfully to decontaminate heavy metal polluted soils).

Mycotoxins

Mycotoxins are toxic chemicals produced by fungi. Contamination can occur during growth; with imperfect storage conditions, such as high humidity and high temperatures; or as a result of contact with insects or rodents.

Mycotoxins that naturally occur in South Africa are Fumonisins. Aflatoxins are rare in South Africa but could be found in imported products. Deoxynivalenol (“DON”) is a mycotoxin primarily produced by Fusarium fungi, commonly found in Europe and occurring predominantly in cereal grains.

Our Process Is Simple

Populate

Choose your services (ie. Potency, Cannabinoid Profile, Solvents or Terpenes)

Pay

Make your payment through your preferred gateway.

Package

Securely package your sample(s) prior to shipping.

Ship

Send your sample(s) to our laboratory via courier.

AFFILIATIONS

Fields of Green for ALL

50 Bath Street
Montagu
6720
Western Cape

hello@qure.co.za
+27 81 337 0588

Total Impact Assessments (Pty) Ltd t/a Qure ("Qure") is a company registered in the Republic of South Africa, registration number 2004/017318/07

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