Introducing water soluble CBD to the UK
This spring, the Hemp & CBD Expo will introduce products like water-soluble CBD to the UK. IQ Lab and their unique technology are launching CBD Water-Soluble Micelle NanoTechnology in the UK with an exhibition stand designed by Quadrant2Design. If you are interested in their product or partnering with them on a private label range you can find them at the NEC Birmingham on 29th Feb – 1st March, stand D104.
CBD Market
The global CBD market has a predicted compound annual growth rate of 32% from the year 2020 until 2024. The health benefits associated with CBD oil are key drivers of this growth.CBD oil is a powerful painkiller. It is also known to minimise the effect of drug withdrawal symptoms. Other health benefits associated with CBD oil include its use as an: anti-inflammatory; stress reliever; antiemetic; anxiety relief; and to treat insomnia.
Opportunities within Market.
CBD oil is becoming increasingly prominent on the high street and E-Commerce. Beverage Companies have started fusing CBD oil into products to disguise the taste and appeal to a mass audience. For easy incorporation into these products, the CBD has to be water-soluble.
One of the challenges this industry has faced is being able to create a homogenous formulation between the CBD and the liquid. Naturally found cannabinoids, including CBD, are not water-soluble compounds. Without a micelle encapsulation for a stable formulation, CBD infused beverages have poor bioavailability which leads to slow, inefficient absorption of CBD into the bloodstream.
Liposomal CBD oil does not have mass-market appeal. It has a strong flavour and its chemical compound is not water-soluble. It is water-compatible however, the capsulation eventually breaks down leading to an oil/water separation.
Until now the closest the industry had come to creating soluble CBD oil was using liposomes. IQ LAB has developed a proprietary micellar-nano technology that produces a highly bioavailable CBD Molecule (<100 nanometers). This solution overcomes the challenge of poor absorption, product stability and creates an easy homogenous CBD/beverage formulation/product. A key benefit to using this technology is how easy it is to flavour, making it easy to incorporate into food and beverages.
IQ Lab launched their product in the US in November 2018. Two years later they have developed a 100% water-soluble CBD that has a great flavour palette using micelle technology.
Micelle technology
The micelle technology enhances the solubility and bioavailability of the CBD into the human body. A micelle is a nano-sized vascular membrane made up of an exterior wall of hydrophilic ‘heads’ and an interior of hydrophobic ‘tails’. IQ Lab’s technology has made it possible to create water-soluble CBD oil by trapping the fat-soluble nutrient (CBD oil) inside the micelle.
Possibilities of micellar CBD
IQ Lab’s micelle technology has turned a non-polar molecule (cannabinoid) into a water-soluble micelle. Gone are the days of slow and inefficient bloodstream absorption of CBD. IQ Lab have increased the absorption rate from 1-2% to 8-9% with their unique solution to CBD oil.
The solubility means that it is easy to integrate into a wide range of products, beverages and foods without the risk of an oil/water separation. IQ Lab have incorporated CBD into RTD beverages, coffee (and coffee pods), teas, a water soluble powder formulation and many more. They offer a range of private label goods, cannabinoids water-soluble transformation as well as the soluble CBD in pure form.
IQ Lab CBD
IQ Lab’s USP is clear, they are the only water-soluble CBD on the market. This means that they have created the first CBD oil that can be easily incorporated into hot beverages. Hot drinks have been a challenge for the hemp and CBD industry. Previously the heat has caused the encapsulation to break down and separate into water and fat molecules.
The innovative micelle technology has eradicated this problem. Thanks to the work of IQ Lab, you can brew hot tea and coffee incorporating a water-soluble CBD without separation. Furthermore, all of the components are safe and IQ Lab’s unique product has gained kosher certification.
