LegalReader.com  ·  Legal News, Analysis, & Commentary

Health & Medicine

Shelf Life of Delta 8 Products


— August 26, 2021

Besides storing your Delta 8 in a cool, dry place, ensure that you only purchase products with an above 90% potency level.


What is the shelf life of Delta 8 products? If you were to buy one today, how long will it last? These are questions you should ask yourself when buying any of the numerous Delta 8 products sold online. If you only use it occasionally, that means the product you buy will remain on the shelf for a much longer time. However, if you don’t want to waste your resources on products that go bad in less time, this article will be of interest to you.

Storage is key

When it comes to maintaining the efficacy of a Delta 8 product for the longest, storage is key. Many people who overlook this factor do not realize that they are jeopardizing the quality of their Delta 8 because it can go bad, just like any other organic compound. To maintain its quality, where to store it, and how you store it is important.

Organic products have an expiry date, especially the ones made from hemp (legal Delta 8 is made from hemp). So the moment you buy Delta 8, just bear in mind that the countdown to its expiration date has already started.

You also have to understand that Delta 8 can lose its freshness and still remain viable. As long as it does not become bacteria-infested or develop mold, you can still use it. However, you will be putting yourself at risk once mold begins to appear. In determining shelf life, factors like potency come into play. This cannabinoid breaks down gradually, and as this happens, the potency level reduces until it loses all its effect. This means that when you take an expired Delta 8 product, you are merely taking a useless matter because you will feel no effects whatsoever.

Some products will expire sooner than others

Don’t be surprised if one product you buy expires sooner than another if not stored properly. The environment plays a crucial role in determining how long it remains potent. Find below the average shelf life of Delta 8 products.

Chart courtesy of author.
Chart courtesy of author.

Delta 8 syringes have the shortest shelf life of all at 9 months, while Delta 8 gummies can stay for up to a year before they go bad. Capsules also have a 1-year shelf life, but you have to bear in mind that when in gel form, the gel will degrade faster than the Delta 8 cannabinoid itself. Tinctures will last long if their glass packaging is not broken. Do note that the table reviews the shelf life of Delta 8 products with an above 90% rate of potency whose packaging remains intact and is stored in a cool, dry place.

Factors that affect the quality 

Here are some of the factors that affect the quality of Delta 8 products.

Temperature: Temperature plays a major role, like with all drugs. Storing your Delta 8 in a cool, dry place is important if you don’t want it to degrade quickly. Placing hemp products in a moist environment is a recipe for degradation as molds will appear all over. Cold temperature does not lead to speedy degradation, but moisture does.

Light: Light is another factor that will lead to the speedy degradation of Delta 8. So if you want the shelf life of your Delta 8 products to be extended, you want to be mindful of light exposure. Light causes the oxidation of compounds at a rapid pace, so if you store yours in a lighter area, it will lose its potency quickly. A dark place is always the best.

Humidity: High humidity levels will change the molecular structure of cannabinoid compounds, and Delta 8 is no different. When the humid level is high, this causes moisture formation, which leads to fast degradation. So placing your Delta 8 product in a hot environment is just as bad as placing it in a wet environment as this will lead to moisture accumulation. Not just Delta 8, but all hemp products should not be kept in bathrooms, car lockers, close to your cooking area, or any hot area.

Conclusion

Several factors contribute to the degradation of Delta 8 products, but the factors highlighted in this article are by far the most influential of them all. Besides storing your Delta 8 in a cool, dry place, ensure that you only purchase products with an above 90% potency level. Although they cost more, they also last longer.

Join the conversation!