Questions: Louis Kyron, CCIM
Answers: Prepared by Dr. Tariq Akhtar and Ian Morton - MSC
Q) Thank you for taking a few moments out of your busy schedule today to bring our readers up to speed on the often overlooked yet increasingly more important – Terpenes. Before we get there, please introduce our readers to yourself and to Molecular Science Corp.
A) We are grateful for the chance to be profiled in your magazine. Molecular Science Corp (MSC) www.mscience.ca is a laboratory services company that applies advanced data analytics into cultivation, formulation and safety knowledge for the cannabis industry in Canada. We provide scientific advisory services for licensed producers, cannabis oil manufacturers and hemp farmers. Our experienced team possesses expertise in analytical chemistry, QA/QC and marketing.
MSC is the first company to bring to market a mobile lab custom built to provide on-site pesticide testing solutions as well as an educational platform for product safety awareness, technology demonstration and applied knowledge to assist producer with their requirements. As an extension of our lab facility in Toronto, the mobile lab will employ a variety of scientific instrumentation with a focus on liquid chromatography and will utilize a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) to ensure seamless and efficient alignment of analytical results between our mobile lab, physical lab and customers.
Q) How will Terpenes change the landscape of cannabis and hemp?
Amongst the various ‘strains’ of C. sativa that are currently being cultivated by licensed producers (LP’s) across Canada, a characteristic feature that distinguishes these plants and the products derived from them, are their specific aroma or ‘bouquet’. These unique aromas are due in large part to a class of volatile compounds known as terpenes. The specific blend of terpenes that are exhibited by C. sativa vary from strain to strain and it is their unique aromas that are a primary factor in driving consumer preference. The first and often immediate sensation that consumers experience with C. sativa and its derived products is the aroma that emanates from ‘cracking the canister’ or ‘dabbing the oil’ – this aroma creates an institutional memory, so to speak, and aligns consumers with a particular strain or brand. It’s a powerful reminiscence that occurs when considering positive past experiences with a certain product.
181