Our recent study aimed to identify the most effective jar and liner combinations for preserving cannabis concentrates by tracking evaporative volatile organic compound (VOC) loss of volume over 9 weeks. The results underscore the critical role of material selection and sealing mechanisms in maintaining volatile organic compounds (VOCs), like terpenes.
When compared to Calyx and Popvac containers, eBottles jars consistently demonstrated superior volume retention. This indicates a stronger seal and more effective oxygen barrier, critical for preserving the quality of cannabis concentrates.
Top Performers: The 28 mm and 38 mm eB Induction Heat Seal lined closures paired with an eBottles 5 ml and 9 ml Straight Sided jar showed zero volume loss over 9 weeks.
Best Barrier Materials: Induction Heat Seal liners > Teflon > Foil > Tin Seal.
Brand Comparison: eBottles jars lined with Induction Heat Seal and Teflon liners outperformed Calyx and Popvac in volume retention demonstrating a tighter seal and a more effective oxygen barrier.
Popvac and tin seal jars showed higher evaporation rates, indicating lower barrier effectiveness.
Preserving the quality of cannabis concentrates hinges on an airtight seal achieved through the optimal combination of jar material and liner. While many customers have independently tested various options, consistently finding eBottles jars and closures to maintain product integrity over time, we undertook our own comprehensive study to validate these observations.
Our research confirmed what we've long advocated: eBottles jars, particularly those equipped with Induction Heat Seal (IHS) and Teflon liners, offer unparalleled preservation. These configurations outperformed competitors and alternative seal types, ensuring superior product stability.
For concentrates sensitive to outgassing, such as with terpenes from cannabis, eBottles jars with Induction Heat Seal liners emerge as the optimal choice for long-term integrity. The combination of airtight sealing and advanced liner materials effectively safeguards the product's quality over extended periods.
This study reinforces our commitment to providing packaging solutions that not only meet but exceed industry standards, ensuring your products remain as fresh and potent as intended.
eBottles performed a study testing the seal integrity of various concentrate jars by tracking the evaporative loss of volume via isopropyl alcohol evaporation over 9 weeks at room temperature.
This protocol measures how well the jar seals prevent the evaporation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). 99% Isopropyl Alcohol is used as a substitute for terpenes due to its low boiling point and high volatility.
The " Percent Loss of Volume" measurement tracks how quickly volatile compounds, like terpenes, escape from the container. This helps us assess how well the container keeps terpenes intact and estimate how long the product will last before losing its key ingredients.
The objective of this experiment is to evaluate concentrate jar seal integrity through measuring the evaporative loss of volume in the container. In order to assess the evaporative loss, the evaporation loss of 99% Isopropyl Alcohol is measured over the course of nine weeks at room temperature. This experiment is replicating “Hashtek Jar Experiment: Evaluation of Jar Integrity through Measurement of VOC Loss” over a longer period of time (9 weeks instead of 4 weeks) observing how various barrier options offered by eBottles compare to each other along with a few other concentrate jars from other companies in the cannabis industry.
In this experiment, the evaporative loss over time will be measured by the change in weight of the concentrate jars over time in respect to the starting weight. Samples will be prepared by filling the respective predetermined volumes of 99% Isopropyl Alcohol into their corresponding jars, which will then be sealed to their respective application torques, weighed on the analytical scale, and stored. Similar to the original experiment by Hashtek, the jars were filled to 60% of their overflow capacity. The test will run for nine weeks with the weights of the concentrate jars being checked after each week (7 days after the start date), and the weights will be recorded for each sample. The weights of each sample group are then averaged to determine the average change in weight for that sample group. The average percent losses for each of the sample groups are then ranked from least to greatest, with the group with the least percent volume lost having the highest barrier properties in terms of VOC loss.
There are five of each sample being tested. They are each individually labeled with the sample number followed by a letter for each of the five samples.
Environmental conditions will be monitored throughout the experiment with a temperature logger. The samples will be stored together in the same area so that they are all exposed to the same conditions. The environment is open in the eBottles office, so there may be some fluctuations in temperature, but will generally be within room temperature range (20-24℃). Any fluctuations in temperature will be experienced by all sample groups as they are stored together.
|
Ranking |
Sample# |
Description |
Week 3 |
Week 6 |
Week 9 |
|
1 |
3 |
28mm eB IHS Liner |
0.00% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
|
2 |
4 |
38mm eB IHS Liner |
0.00% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
|
3 |
7 |
28mm eB Teflon Liner |
0.02% |
0.03% |
0.04% |
|
4 |
8 |
38mm eB Teflon Liner |
0.04% |
0.05% |
0.06% |
|
5 |
11 |
36mm Popvac |
0.04% |
0.10% |
0.18% |
|
6 |
10 |
28mm Popvac |
0.17% |
0.20% |
0.24% |
|
7 |
1 |
28mm eB Foil Liner |
0.18% |
0.25% |
0.30% |
|
8 |
2 |
38mm eB Foil Liner |
0.26% |
0.40% |
0.49% |
|
9 |
5 |
28mm eB Tin Seal |
0.26% |
0.55% |
0.85% |
|
10 |
6 |
38mm eB Tin Seal |
0.55% |
1.03% |
1.48% |
|
11 |
9 |
Calyx |
1.57% |
2.42% |
2.81% |
For optimal terpene and cannabinoid preservation, eBottles jars paired with Induction Heat Seal (IHS) and Teflon lined closures deliver superior barrier performance. Their airtight seal, combined with advanced liner materials, effectively protects VOCs like terpenes, maintaining product integrity over time. For products prone to outgassing—such as cannabis concentrates—eBottles jars stand out as the ideal solution for long-term stability.
The barriers from most to least effective for the eBottles samples are: Induction Heat Seal Liner, Teflon Liner, Foil Liner, and then the Tin Seal.
All eBottles samples had less percent loss of volume than the Calyx jars. eBottles jars with Induction Heat Seal liners and eBottles jars with Teflon liners had less percent loss of volume than the Popvac jars. In this case, having a lower percent loss of volume correlates to having a more effective barrier as it keeps the material from outgassing (escaping the container).
These findings reinforce that both the liner material and the seal method significantly impact container performance. Among all samples, eBottles jars—especially those with Induction Heat Seal and Teflon liners—demonstrated the lowest percent volume loss, indicating superior barrier properties. Compared to Calyx and Popvac jars, eBottles consistently offered better protection against outgassing, making them the most reliable choice for preserving sensitive cannabis products over time.
