New Guide for A recommended stability testing protocol to estimate cannabinoid beverage shelf life
1. Scope
The scope for this guide includes cannabinoid beverage that uses single cannabinoid or multiple cannabinoids, which also includes all flavor profiles, volume options from 1oz to 750mL and all packaging types (PET, HDPE, glass, aluminum can and tetra pak).
The testing scope focuses on safety (microbial growth) and efficacy (potency stability) across the shelf life of the beverage.
There are two sampling schedules based on two storage conditions: ambient condition (25C ± 2 / 60% ± 5% RH) and accelerated condition (40C ± 2 / 75% ± 5% RH). The results from the two conditions would build confidence in determining the stability profile of the cannabinoids beverage in measuring the safety and efficacy of the product. This data would indicate the true shelf life of the cannabinoid beverages.
Keywords
Cannabinoid beverage; 1oz to 750mL; PET; HDPE; glass; aluminum can; tetrk pak; ambient condition; accelerated condition; shelf life; microbial testing; potency testing; stability profile
Rationale
As American consumers reduce alcohol consumption, cannabinoid infused beverage is becoming mainstream product option for adult. The innovation in the category includes different cannabinoid types, flavor profiles and packaging types. However, it is not widely established to agree on the basic stability testing protocol to estimate the true shelf life of cannabinoid beverage. Also, due to the natural degradation of most cannabinoids, this type of beverage has its own technical challenges in terms of remaining potency stability. It requires its own testing protocol to ensure stable potency to build consumer trust.
This guide can be used for testing labs to guide their testing protocols when evaluating the shelf life of cannabinoid beverages. It can also guide beverage brands to prepare for the stability testing in terms of sample number, budget and timeline. It can also help beverage distributors, retailers and regulators to regulate the industry by requesting this type of information for each SKU and select good products from the competition brands. Eventually, consumers may also be interested in those data to help them make best decisions and build trust in this category.
The title and scope are in draft form and are under development within this ASTM Committee.
Work Item Status
Date Initiated: 06-03-2025
Technical Contact: Harold Han
Item: 000
Ballot:
Status: