The Centre provides real-world solutions for industry through collaboration and innovation. Our projects range from improving product methods through extraction and formulation, to propagation, to prototyping new products, and consulting on business process and design. Here is just a sampling of some of the work we have done.
The CNPMC helped Cold Plasma Group demonstrate that cannabis sterilized using their proprietary technology retains its physical properties and cannabinoid profiles. Through previous work with the CNPMC, Cold Plasma Group was able to further optimize their processing cycles by treating artificially and naturally contaminated dry cannabis samples under different plasma parameters. A project funded by the CNPMC’s ARTP COLLABORATE program also performed prototype “field” testing that facilitated the implementation of the technology under typical customer operational conditions. The technology is now at TRL 8, and Cold Plasma Group is currently offering automated plasma machines for treatment of plant material, such as cannabis. The technology is a platform technology, which the company is planning to expand to the treatment of seeds, effectively creating a new business vertical. This will allow CPG to diversify its line of products and enter new markets within the Agricultural sector, which will result in increased revenues and to job creation. CPG will use their industrial prototype to identify the right plasma conditions to reduce microbial contamination, increase germination yields, and create drought-tolerant seeds.
Afiya Beauty develops and sells clean, all-natural beauty products through their online store. Recent customer feedback has consistently requested that they formulate a product to address their most pressing skin concern, fading skin discolouration. Afiya Beauty plans to formulate a product to address this concern without the use of conventional de-pigmenting agents. An initial Tech Access Canada IV funded project focused on: reviewing Afiya’s current formulation, proposing test methods to qualify Afiya’s cream, and reviewing literature for excipient compatibility and ingredients for other product formulations. A larger, ARTP COLLABORATE-funded project is looking at developing an extract from apple pomace to be incorporated into cosmetic products.
MediPharm Labs is a pharmaceutical company specializing in cannabinoids. Thanks to Mitacs funding, the Centre worked with MediPharm Labs on stability testing for some of its products, to validate reliable expiry dating and optimal storage methods. The latest project funded by the Centre’s ARTP COLLABORATE program will evaluate the suitability of a technological methodology to isolate THC of pharmaceutical purity from the distillate input, and will also make recommendations on scale-up to commercial processing.
Vive Crop Protection is a Canadian crop protection technology company that creates Precision Chemistry to expand the horizons of Precision Agriculture. Using the Allosperse® Delivery System, Vive greatly improves the targeting and performance of chemical and biological active ingredients, helping growers achieve real results. This project expands on initial proof-of-concept work to investigate the ability of Vive’s Allosperse® polymers to disperse non-polar chemicals in water.
Black and Blue Foods is a company focused on using natural products to treat chronic medical conditions. They are currently working on a natural health product to treat inflammation. Through funding from its ARTP COLLABORATE program, the Centre will create a design of experiment protocol for the manufacturing parameters to define the approach for the formula.
Terra Plant is a Toronto-based start-up in synthetic biology, which has developed a proprietary plant-based production system that can be used to produce small molecules and proteins faster, cheaper and with greater scalability. The technology is highly adaptable and can produce multiple products including vaccines, insulin, vitamins, biofuels and protein supplements. Synthetic biology presents an incredible potential to create new, sustainable, eco-friendly technologies. The primary environmental advantages of TerraPlant’s technology is the use of less water, less energy, less land and the production of less biowaste for the landfill.
Previous work with the CNPMC funded by ARTP COLLABORATE and an Mitacs Accelerate Internship, focused on building and validating a prototype for the plant-based production system for cannabinoid production. The current project continues the development of TerraPlant’s cloning platform and expansion of the number of candidate genes used in the prototype.
BodyHarmony Therapies and Wellness was started in 1998 on the foundation of holistic health principles focused on the use of Phytochemical extracts and concentrated Essential oil formulations. The company’s goal is to formulate wellness products through the combination of aromatic plant extracts and cannabinoids to create aromatic, holistic and reliable treatments for people in discomfort and daily pain from Acute and Chronic illness. Using the science and art of Clinical Aromatherapy formulation the primary focus of the project will be the development of a CBD, CBG and selective terpene-infused topical product.
Archers Fine Foods is a family-owned business, started by Chef Chris Wylie and his wife. Chris developed a smoked tomato sauce that he served to his guests at the Jackson’s Falls Country Inn in Prince Edward County. Chris has since been working with the Ontario Agri Food Venture Centre to support packaging his product.
Cheekbone Beauty Inc. is an indigenous-owned and founded Canadian cosmetics company established in 2016 by Jennifer Harper. Based out of St. Catharines, Ontario, the company is known for creating high-quality, sustainable, and cruelty-free cosmetic products, and packaging. Cheekbone Beauty’s innovation is rooted in the development of sustainable and socially conscious beauty products with an indigenous worldview for the benefit of all people and the planet. Through Tech-Access Canada Interactive Visit funding and Mitacs Indigenous Pathways internships, this project is investigating the feasibility of upcycling processing by-products into sustainable cosmetic product formulas.
Established in 2019, Authentique Delights develops quality seafood products, including their signature bottled seafood sauce. Their mission is to stay true to Bahamian culture and develop products with uncompromising quality, freshness, and excellence. They are working with the CNPMC to extend the stability of their bottled seafood sauce.
HiGarden has successfully used biochar as a plant-growing substrate in aquaponics and urban agriculture systems for several years. They have discovered that by the time their biochar has passed its useful life as a substrate, it is coated in nutrients. The company plans to turn this used substance into a carbon-negative soil additive that improves crop yields.
A small pilot study in amending soil with enriched biochar showed increased kale growth by 38%. HiGarden came to the CNPMC with a goal of characterizing enriched biochar at different phases of manufacture, specifically, using mass spectometry to map out the metabolites such as alcohols, sugars, and nucleic acids on the enriched biochar.
Mapping these metabolites will serve as guidance for future work to investigate enzymes and microbial presence within the enriched biochar. Additionally, we will perform an assay for ammonia, a likely by-product of the enrichment process which would serve as a plant nutrient.
CWI (Cora Wegman Inc.) Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an alternative/complementary therapy that can be used in the treatment of dermatologic disorders such as acne, rosacea, eczema, and psoriasis. Cora Wegman Inc. (CWI) has been developing several topical herbal product formulations for those skin conditions. Steam distillation or solvent extraction, usually with an organic solvent, is the procedure conventionally used to prepare concentrated herbal extracts. However, the removal of the solvent from the extract is needed in the latter case. Minimization of the amount of residual solvent is a critical process. The residual level must be kept below the regulatory level without the expense of heavy loss or degradation of the effective ingredients. In addition, the choice of extraction solvent in the preparation of ingredients is generally limited by safety regulations and their interaction with the herbs’ active molecules.
Among various extraction methods, it is believed that Supercritical CO2 extraction is the best technique to extract the therapeutic active ingredients while preserving the active components that are in the original herb. CWI is looking to the CNPMC to support extraction of their herb material to help determine if supercritical CO2 extraction is a viable technique.
ZeroIN is a food-tech company developing solutions to eliminate the problem of sugar overload. ZeroIN is working toward a sugar replacement wherein food, beverages, supplements, and pharmaceuticals can meet evolving societal needs without contributing to the sugar overload problem, and more importantly where customers can enjoy sweets without compromising taste, health, or the environment. ZeroIN came to the CNPMC for assistance in developing a tandem LC/MS methodology to enable the separation and mass characterization of carbohydrates.
Protonify Corporation Protonify Corporation is a privately-held Canadian licensed global B2B manufacturer of highest-purity, botanically-derived, CPG-grade cannabinoid isolates. Protonify’s cannabinoids are non-synthetic, odourless, tasteless, approach 100% purity, and are available in several formats, including dry powder and nano-encapsulated. Protonify came to the CNPMC to use our UPLC-QTOF-MS to produce an analysis of a variety of THC distillate samples to determine impurities and compare to Protonify's pure Delta 9 THC. Literature review surrounding identified impurities will be correlated to any available data surrounding health consequences.
Gummy Nutrition Lab is an Alberta-based maker of functional nutritional gummies, naturally flavoured and gluten- and dairy-free. Currently, nutraceutical composition testing is being outsourced, which is an expensive undertaking. Moving testing in-house will help control costs and improve quality by providing the company with a much better understanding of how the processing method affects the bioactivity of the active ingredients. The Centre will be helping Gummy Nutrition identify the best strategies and methodologies for both in-house raw material and finished product testing and specifications.
Frontline Supplements is a start-up company creating supplements to help manage health, targeting emergency first responders. As a firefighter, diabetic, bodybuilder and nutrition enthusiast, Owner Prabh Singh has recognized many challenges first responders endure and has created supplements to help alleviate these issues. The Centre for Natural Products and Medical Cannabis will assist Frontline Supplements with the finalization of their formula (insulin resistance encapsulation), as well as assistance in the process of obtaining a natural product number (NPN) through Health Canada. Follow-up projects will involve a ready-to-drink supplement.
Token Naturals is an independent Canadian company that manufactures cannabis products for partners and consumers with a focus in the recreational market, but with licenses allowing for medical sales as well. The company was founded in 2016 and has focused its efforts on securing licenses to allow for production, sales and research of cannabis products in the extracts and dried flower categories. The focus of the work with the Centre for Natural Products and Medical Cannabis is the development of a concentrated THC nano-emulsion using all natural ingredients and surfactants that can be added to finished products without any compromise in THC potency or quality. The latest work is funded by Loyalist through its NSERC Applied Research and Technology Partnership (ARTP) grant.
The Centre worked with Kingston Aluminum Technology (KAT) to develop a plan to investigate superior aluminum bottle liners to mitigate known losses of cannabinoids on the surface of packaging materials used for beverages. READ MORE
G-Pharma Canada (Adaptogen Pharma Corporation) is an Ontario-based innovative nutraceutical company established in 2017. Gpharma Canada’s flagship GinEx® American Ginseng Extracts products are pure concentrated extract of American Ginseng roots, produced using their proprietary technology. All products from Gpharma Canadian are Health Canada Licensed Natural Health Product (NPN) and are packaged by a GMP-certified pharmaceutical company in Canada.
Currently, Ontario is the major American Ginseng producer, accounting for 85-95% of more than 200 million dollars of American Ginseng production in North America. Due to lack of modernized industrial capability in Ontario, the majority of ginseng products are exported and sold in its original form (roots, slices and ground powder). The extraction and concentration process is required to create products of high medicinal potency and optimal bioavailability providing almost immediate effect. The major drawback of concentrated GinEx® American Ginseng Extracts is its strong bitter taste.
The company is working with the CNPMC to develop a dry powder formulation for use in other products such as a multi-vitamin ginseng sachet, or a direct compressible tablet or capsule.
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Canna Stream Solutions (CSS) is developing technologies for handling and processing cannabis waste, intent on creating upcycled products for a growing market sector. Their patent pending technology allows for the efficient processing of cannabis biomass waste into valuable cannabinoid extracts. They first came to the Centre for quality testing of their extracts, and quantification of high-value compounds. Through a subsequent project funded by GreenCentre Canada, their green extraction process was successfully applied to Echinacea, Rhodiola, and Lion’s Mane biomass. The Centre continued to work with Canna Stream Solutions towards its mission with a project supported by Tech Access Canada, involving the use of upcycled cannabis waste to capture volatile organic compounds. The company’s latest project is funded by the Mitacs Business Strategy Internship program and focuses on the use of alternative surfactants based on green nanomaterials to stabilize cannabis-infused beverages.
bathintentions is an Ontario-based bath and self-care products manufacturer. They came to the CNPMC seeking support with the formulation and manufacturing process for their flagship shower steamers. The goal is to offer the best customer experience with formulations following environmentally safe processes.
The first project completed with the CNPMC increased the duration of the shower steamers to expand to more than one use, including the manufacture of a new modified release and new formulation with disintegration/dissolution characteristics to last for multiple shower applications.
The current project involves further development of the multi-use shower steamer to optimize size, friability and cost of ingredients. The work is funded by Loyalist through its NSERC Applied Research and Technology Partnership (ARTP) grant. A significant portion of bathintention’s business is through amazon.ca, where they are in the top 25 in the handmade product category.
A major cost of doing business on amazon.ca comes from packaging, and introducing a reformulated product will drastically improve profit margins. The target is to achieve the same aromatic quality and usability for one to three showers, but in a smaller formulation that is not breakable after packaging and during transport. READ MORE
Finda Beauty Care Inc. is an aesthetic and hair care center that provides beauty services to those with sensitive skin and/or those sensitive to strong scents. This ARTP COLLABORATE-funded project will assist in the development of a unique, natural, low- to no-fragrance product to moisturize very dry skin during the winter months.
Kimberlite Group Limited has been in operation since 2009 and is a Canadian company with operations focusing on information and natural products technology (conducted under the banner of Valley of Gold Farms in Deloro, Ontario). An emerging product stream has been the growing and selling of hops as a specialized seasonal fresh/wet product to brewers within the region. The purpose of this GreenCentre Canada Connect-funded project is to increase the value-add on this product through innovative green product technology, especially as it applies to post-harvest hop processing. This study will determine the feasibility of a fractional steam extraction of terpenes from hops to create an essential hop oil product.
IGES (also known as Mycodynamix) is a Transition-oriented Enterprise developing sustainable agriculture solutions and soon, wellness products. Nutraceutical mushroom extracts offer a variety of medicinal health benefits and can be used to boost immunities and reduce symptoms of mental illnesses. This project was the first of a multi-phased initiative and focused on gathering information to determine the next phase and design of an experiment to extract bioactive compounds from various species of mushrooms. The literature review focused on reviewing and compiling existing literature on chemical and physical properties of bioactives derived from identified mushroom species and extraction methods used for mushroom-derived bioactives.
Pasta Tavola produces convenient & delicious family-friendly frozen ravioli and jar sauces made with real ingredients, available in Canadian supermarkets and specialty food shops. Through the Tech Access Canada IV funding program, the company teamed up with the Loyalist College Centre for Natural Products and Medical Cannabis to develop products for new and existing markets. With a focus on food trends and the growing post-COVID shift to health-conscious, clean label ingredients, this project focused on completing a literature review and creating a plan for a larger product formulation and optimization project.
VIVO Cannabis Inc. (VIVO) is a cannabis licensed producer that came to the Centre seeking to validate it’s HPLC (high pressure to performance liquid chromatography) Cannabinoid Test Method to make sure it delivers accurate and precise concentrations every time a product is tested.
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The Centre was able to provide Signal Brewery with fast turnaround quality testing to support an understanding of the alcohol content of their craft beer prior to LCBO testing submission.
ADOREYES is an Ontario-based cosmetics company producing high-performance eyelash and eyebrow enhancing serums sold exclusively in salons and spas. They are working to increase visibility of their “PLUS Lashes Triple Peptide Complex” eyelash enhancing serum to promote the product’s performance and superior quality. As part of this initiative, analytical testing of comparator products
will be performed.
Apollo Green is a cannabis licensed producer with more than 360 world-class cannabis strains that cultivate cannabis plants for commercial retail within the cannabis industry. They originally came to the Centre seeking to evaluate the potential for tissue culture — a cloning technique that can result in exponential production of healthier plants than with traditional methods. The company also sought to develop a process to genetically test plants to identify if a plant is female or male and, identify cannabinoid ratios the plants will produce. READ MORE
Exhale into Health is a company focused on creating plant-based superfoods infused with cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). They originally came to the Centre looking to create a formulation (recipe and process) for an organic, gluten-free, and vegan snack that would ensure a controlled and consistent amount of cannabis throughout the snack and mask the taste and smell of the cannabis in the product. READ MORE
Royal Development Group Inc. (RDG) plans to conduct research with hemp/cannabis on the International Space Station (ISS). They came to the Centre seeking expertise to determine and optimize an approach for a design of experiment (DOE) for seedling germination to include in their research. With funding through a Mitacs Accelerate internship, the strategy and procedures for germination were studied, revolving around the known constraints and operating parameters of existing hardware for seed germination on the ISS. READ MORE
Entomo Farms is an intergenerational business targeting consumers who choose insect protein in order to show respect to, and to enhance the preservation of the environment. They came to the Centre looking at how best to determine optimal storage and a “best before” date for their cricket powder product. READ MORE
Typical beverage and food aluminum or steel containers use liquid paint liners. Protech has a green technology using a powder coating/liner that is VOC free, BPA free, and provides superior mechanical properties and chemical resistance. This powder coating has been shown to surpass current products using conventional liquid paint-based can liners. This initial Tech Access Canada IV funded project focused on characterization of the liner leading to future determination of shelf life stability to pursue certification for direct food contact (aqueous and solid applications).
Wakkii LifeSci is a green start-up dedicated to using ingredients extracted from discarded and unutilized biosources such as sea food waste to develop and commercialize wound healing products for animals and humans. Wakkii came to the Centre for Natural Products and Medical Cannabis at Loyalist College for help with optimizing their product formulation. Through Tech Access Interactive Visit funding, several formulations were developed with desired consistency and tested for microbiological sterility. The formulations will be tested on living tissue by Wakkii LifeSci and the results will be used to advise further modifications to the formulation and product development.
Wovven is a natural beverage company with cannabinoid ingredients for functional benefits, formulating cannabis beverages using cold-pressed juice without preservatives and all-natural ingredients. With no proven predecessor in this space and because the chemistry is so complex, this initial Tech Access Canada IV funded project assisted with product characterization, stabilization and recommendations
for packaging.
Arya Petcare has partnered with the Center for Natural Products & Medicinal Cannabis to develop quality methods to ensure their unique natural health chews for dogs are delivered effectively to combat the major cause of oral health issues in dogs. Periodontal disease affects over 80% of dogs 3 years old and older and it originates from the accumulation of dental biofilm resulting from bacteria growth in the mouth of dogs. The Centre for Natural Products and Medicinal Cannabis at Loyalist College worked with Arya to develop methods to test the product quality and gain more information on safe manufacturing parameters for its natural ingredients.
Persall Fine Foods has developed a proprietary CBD extraction process. The next step to commercialization requires the creation of a prototype of the manufacturing process equipment. Working with the CNPMC over the past three years, the company has been able to identify many key criteria required for the successful extraction process including; optimal time, agitation methods and input material load. The current project seeks to inform the steps required to plan for the development of the working prototype, including on-line processing controls to determine the end point of extraction.