food science applications to curing

[puddlebud]

I'd like to hear from people that have done allot of curing. My own effort I had 12 jars and following the perfect cure everytime thread I had 2 jars that actually burned like they were properly cured.

Let me define properly cured weed as weed that will burn in a pipe into white ash without ever going through a black charcoal brisket stage. I've never been able to buy weed that doesn't charcoal up, and I think that's a shame.

I think the "perfect cure everytime" thread is a good place to start. In food science, the proper term for the stabalized RH reading is water activity.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_activity

This definition will open up allot more possibilities for processing marijuana. The thread calls for getting a stabalized RH of below 70%. Their are few microorganisms that'll grow at that RH.

http://www.fao.org/docrep/005/y2515e/y2515e08_13.jpg

But the enzymes that make the cure happen are severely degraded below that RH also. 85% RH is the cutoff point for bacteria and yeast. Mold can still grow at that RH but they are obligate aerobes, filling the container with CO2 will not only keep mold from growing but lower the pH which will further inhibit bacterial growth. So you could store your buds at 80% RH for atleast as long as the required 3 months. Would it make a difference in the final smoke?

So I've been thinking about how to make something to test it. For the curing chamber you could use those air tight dog food containers. Only the lid would have the modifications. The system would consist of moisture sensor, small fan, quick connectors, mac valve, and an arduino controller. The idea is to hang up the plants until they reduce in size enough to put them in the container. A central venturi vacuum generator is hooked up to multiple units.

http://www.joewoodworker.com/veneering/v2-parts.htm

The buds are hit with UVC to reduce the initial load. The arduino is set to 80% RH. After achieving a stabilized reading vacuum is pulled and the atmosphere replaced with CO2. This is maintained for 3 months then the RH is reduced to its final value and the product stored.

 

[Only Ornamental]

UVC won't work cause the buds are shading themselves . More than one user here had the CO2 idea already and IIRC some here already use vacuum. Although, I'd simply throw a dry ice cube in there; the evaporating CO2 will displace most of the air (if the container is closed in a way that overpressure can evade).
Regarding your interest in food science: The most experienced "curer" is the tobacco industry but tobacco needs several months to reach perfection. You should read some of their literature!

 

[shaggyballs]

My man OO knows what he is talikin' about.
It has been my experience that different strains cure differently, also the same strain can cure out very differently depending on what a certain grower is looking for.
I have a strain called lemon cake....harvest early and keep it wet you will get a taste like banana bread, harvest early and cure till crisp but not overly and you will get a taste like lemon cake.
Harvest late and dry crisp and very little lemon cake taste.
Other strains require a whole different approach, like taking 2-3 weeks to get crisp, but with just the right amount of moisture to get sour grape to taste just right.

I seem to be rambling, so I am trying to say I feel it would be hard to find a 1 size fits all way to cure.
OFF TOPIC
If I remember correctly flooding with nitrogen is a good way for long term storage, don't quote me on that without checkin my notes.

Shag

 

[puddlebud]

Yeah I imagine once the tobacco industry enters the game they'll figure out how to increase the quality of the weed out there. I've looked into their vacuum chambers that were built in the 1920's and still operational, pretty impressive. Personally though I ended up making allot of hash oil out of my weed because the smoke was harsh. And all of the weed I buy is harsh.

I think my goal is to make mass produced cured weed a reality. Is anyone even trying to do this? I don't think anyone is or they charge 200 a gram or something. My little theory that I came up with in an afternoon is that curing has to do with enzyme activity, and a proper cure will rarely happen at an rH thats low enough to prevent mold from growing.

All it'd take to test the theory is a venturi vacuum generator (80$), a 1 gallon air compressor, some CO2 bottles, and connectors. Then an arduino with a temp/humidity sensor and the dog food container. I mean it's probably easier to just dry the weed until nothing can grow on it, but one day the bar is gonna be raised and people are gonna have a choice.

 

[chronosync]

Nitrogen in place of oxygen will prevent oxidation. Coffee is packaged this way sometimes.