The radio frequency technology for the decontamination of cannabis flower provides cultivators and processors a microbial control step for their operations.
SAN FRANCISCO, May 16, 2024 – PRESS RELEASE – Ziel, an industry leader providing next-generation customized, microbial control solutions for the agriculture and cannabis industries, announced that its partner, Portocanna, a medical cannabis processor in Portugal, received good manufacturing practice (GMP) validation for the decontamination of cannabis flower using Ziel’s radio Frequency System (RF) technology. With the GMP certification in an EU member state, Portocanna is well positioned to supply medical cannabis from their EU-GMP pharmaceutical facility to the expanding markets in Germany and the U.K.
“We are delighted that our radio frequency technology has received the first EU GMP approval for microbial control through our partnership with Portocanna,” Ziel co-founder and CEO Arthur de Cordova said. “We are well positioned in the EU to solve a problem every cultivator needs to address if they want to secure a presence in the rapidly growing European cannabis market.”
GMP defines the minimum standard that medical manufacturers must meet in their product processing operations under the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which coordinates and standardizes GMP activities at the European Union level. All entities that import or export cannabis to and within the EU are required to be GMP certified, representing a substantial investment and commitment to comply with these regulations. With this first GMP certification, Ziel’s technology now provides cultivators and post-harvest processors seeking to produce within the EU, or export to the EU, a clear, streamlined pathway for integrating a microbial control step into their operations.
Unlike ionizing forms of radiation such as X-ray, gamma, and e-beam, radio frequency is a non-ionizing, thermal process compliant with organic processes. In the European market, radio frequency does not require additional labeling and licensing for use in cannabis decontamination. For example, Germany requires registration of all strains treated with ionizing radiation (X-ray, gamma, and e-beam) prior to distribution within the country; a process that takes six to nine months and an administrative fee of €2,500 per strain.
“Portocanna is extremely well positioned to increase medical cannabis exports from its EU GMP-certified facility,” Portocanna founder and CEO Amit Edri said. “The use of radio frequency in our GMP processes allows us to efficiently meet increased demand following passage of Germany’s landmark cannabis reform law passed April 1, and efficiently meet strict German regulatory requirements for cannabis safety.
“Domestically, Portocanna’s has received approval for one of its cannabis formulations on the Portuguese market. Our products are treated with radio frequency to meet Infarmed and EU requirements for patient safety.”
To learn more about Ziel or the RFX, visit www.ziel.com.
