Managing Fungal and Bacterial Risks

In the last two years there have been several high-profile illnesses in cannabis users, notably the e-cigarette, or vaping, product-use associated lung injury (EVALI), and heavy metal poisoning in California and Michigan. While these are undeniably deserving of attention, they have led to a focus on chemical contaminants and causes of illness, rather than microbial ones. With an estimated combined market of over $10B in retail sales this year, it’s not a matter of if, but when will the cannabis industry have its first major microbial or food-borne outbreak and product recall. This can be mitigated by implementing proper quality control measures, but what does that mean? Presented within is a general overview of quality control in 2 aspects of the cannabis industry particularly focusing on bacterial and fungal contamination and steps to mitigate it.

Learning Objectives:

1. Introduce the audience to a general overview of bacterial and fungal contamination

2. Identify areas in the growing and manufacturing industries to monitor for bacterial and fungal contamination

3. Present general steps forward to monitor and mitigate contamination.