EU-GMP Certification for Cannabis:
Standards and Requirements

The EU-GMP certification is a massive asset for cannabis operators. It opens doors to the rapidly growing EU market, allowing for the export of both raw and complete products.

This opportunity is breathing new life into cannabis markets across the globe, particularly those with a focus on exporting, like Canada and Colombia. Countries needing to import cannabis will buy an exporter’s product at a higher price point than in their domestic market.

Germany, in particular, continues to increase its need for cannabis imports as it scales its legal medical cannabis industry. The country currently has only three active domestic operators. While the Cannabis Reform Law passed in April 2024 removed restrictions on the allowed quantity of domestic producers, it will take years before domestic production reaches meaningful volume.

In the meantime, Germany will continue to import the majority of its cannabis. In 2024 alone, the country imported over 72 tonnes of cannabis, representing 96% of cannabis consumed. [1]

The UK, Europe’s other leading cannabis market, intends to continue to import as well. A network of low-cost suppliers from Canada, Colombia, and southern Europe is working to address these supply gaps.

The European Union’s streamlined medical regulations give those cannabis producers, as well as others across the globe, a clear, defined path to leverage these opportunities and export cannabis products to the EU.

Known as the EU Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), and differing from cGMP in the US and Good Production Practices (GPP) in Canada, these regulations are the strictest in the world, dissecting and reviewing every detail in any operation that manufactures medical or pharmaceutical products and wants to sell them in the EU.

Across the EU, Cannabis is classified as a medical product. Any producer or manufacturer looking to sell cannabis in the EU, whether domestically or by exportation, must be EU-GMP certified. The process to earn this certification is rigorous and takes time, but operators who complete it can leverage the EU market.

This guide breaks down the EU-GMP certification for cannabis, exploring its value, the requirements you must meet to earn your certification, and the most frequently asked questions about securing an EU-GMP certification for cannabis.

Understanding EU-GMP Certification for Cannabis

Good Manufacturing Practices are set rules that help to ensure consumer safety.

In the US, securing a cGMP certification is not a requirement for cannabis producers as the plant remains illegal at the federal level and therefore not regulated by the FDA, the federal regulatory body. It is, however, a requirement for pharmaceutical manufacturers. In the EU, the EU-GMP certification is a requirement for any medicinal product, including an herbal one like cannabis, regardless of where the product was grown and/or manufactured. [2]

Essentially, the certification provides quality assurance for consumers by guaranteeing the processes used to create the product are consistent and meet the strictest safety requirements. This not only helps to protect consumers from potentially hazardous products, but it also helps to protect producers and manufacturers from crises by limiting issues that could arise from consumer use.

The GMP certification process is not new. It applies to everything from the food you eat to the medicines you take.

- Amit Edri, CEO and Co-founder of Portocanna, the first cannabis processor in the EU to secure EU-GMP certification using radio frequency decontamination.

EU-GMP vs. Other Regulatory Standards

The main focus of the EU-GMP certification is the process used to create a product after harvest. To become certified, you must be able to prove that your production process is repeatable and makes the same product each and every time.

US cGMP

Unlike the EU’s approach to GMP certification, which focuses on the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) followed to create a product, the United States’ approach to GMP certification focuses on the physical end product. It regulates batch by batch to ensure each final product is safe for consumption.

cGMP certification is not currently required for cannabis producers in the US, but operators must still be compliant with their state’s regulations, which generally test each batch of cannabis for microbial pathogens before sending them out the door.

In the EU, all flower must be sourced from a GACP certified operation. Only then can it “move along the chain” to an EU-GMP facility, which may or may not be under the same operator. For manufacturers that don’t grow their product, they can purchase flower from growers with GACP certification.

Canada GPP

In Canada, every cannabis producer must be compliant with GPP guidelines. These rules are less stringent than EU-GMP. Where an EU-GMP certification guarantees a pharmaceutical-grade product, GPP simply ensures a clean facility and production environment and regular testing for potency and contamination.

A GPP certification does not qualify Canadian producers to export their cannabis to the EU. Producers must upgrade their GPP certification to EU-GMP if they want to sell their products in the EU and UK.

GACP (Good Agricultural and Collection Practices)

GACP is an international framework for the cultivation and collection of medicinal plants. It’s used in many countries across the globe. Some countries, like the US, have adopted their own standards similar to GACP.

GACP focuses on the plant while it’s still in its raw form, regulating the farming, drying, and curing sides of production. For cannabis, it helps to guarantee consistent cannabinoid and terpene profiles across harvests, as well as minimize contamination from pesticides, mold, and heavy metals.

In the EU, all flower must be sourced from a GACP certified operation. Only then can it “move along the chain” to an EU-GMP facility, which may or may not be under the same operator. For manufacturers that don’t grow their product, they can purchase flower from growers with GACP certification.

EU-GMP US cGMP Canada GPP GACP
Scope Pharmaceutical- grade safety and production Pharmaceutical- grade safety and production Basic safety and production Basic safety and cleanliness pre-production (ensures quality of raw material)
Regulatory Authority European Medicines Agency (EMA) + national-level regulators Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Health Canada Country dependent
Testing Requirements Extensive process and batch testing, stability studies, validation Extensive batch testing, stability studies, validation Basic potency and contaminant testing Basic contaminant testing

EU-GMP Certification for Cannabis: Process and Timeline

The main focus of the EU-GMP certification is the process used to create a product after harvest. To become certified, you must be able to prove that your production process is repeatable and makes the same product each and every time.

The timeline of securing an EU-GMP certification for cannabis depends on a few factors, including how long it will take you to collect base-level data so you know what you’re working with, how backed up the local regulatory authority is, how many issues that regulatory authority finds during their visit(s), and how long it takes you to correct those issues.

There are a few ways you can ensure a quicker timeline:

  • Only certify specific areas of your production. The EU-GMP certification can be incredibly specific and only cover a specific area or a specific process of your business. If you grow more than just cannabis or produce products not intended to be sold in the EU, you can leave those portions of your business out of the EU-GMP certification process.
  • Use equipment already used in other EU-GMP certified operations. If you start with equipment that is already used in other EU-GMP certified operations, it will increase your chances of moving through the process quickly, as the machinery is already familiar to the regulators. This does not mean the machine will immediately pass inspection in your operation, but it at least gives you a head start.
  • Pay attention to the details. Meaning, don’t make avoidable mistakes. Many businesses fail or are set back simply because they did not complete the paperwork properly or missed simple requirements like including a “wash hands” sign above a wash station.
  • Hire experienced staff or consultants. Relationships matter when dealing with regulators, who may get frustrated with rookies. Working with people experienced in the process can make the certification process smoother and quicker.

The EU-GMP certification is about quality control, not quality validation. When you qualify a GMP process, you’re telling the regulators that this process will produce the same exact product one hundred percent of the time.

- Edri

The process to secure EU-GMP certification for cannabis facilities can be broken down into five phases; however, it’s recommended to also include a consultation with your local regulatory authority at the very beginning to understand exactly what you can expect during the certification process.

Inviting the regulators in early and maintaining contact with them throughout the process can greatly improve your chances of passing inspection, as can partnering with a consultant who has an established working relationship with regulators and can guide you through the process.

Phase 1: Gap Analysis

To start, you must review your current facility design and SOPs to determine what is already EU-GMP compliant and what needs to be changed, updated, added, or removed.

In this phase, you will also establish your Corrective and Preventive Actions (CAPA) plan to address these areas.

Phase 2: Facility Upgrades & Quality Management System (QMS) Implementation

Depending on what was discovered during phase one, you may have some facility changes to make. This could include modifying your HVAC system, material flow controls, and/or facility and equipment setup.

This phase will also implement Good Documentation Practices (GDP) and upgraded SOPs. Within these changes, your employees will be trained in EU-GMP requirements so they understand their roles and responsibilities.

 

Phase 3: Validation and Qualification of Equipment and Methods

Phase three can be time-consuming as it reviews every piece of equipment involved in the production process. Each piece of equipment goes through its own six-phase validation:

  1. Design Qualification (DQ)
  2. Factory Acceptance Test (FAT)
  3. Site Acceptance Test (SAT)
  4. Installation Qualification (IQ)
  5. Operational Qualification (OQ)
  6. Performance Qualification (PQ)

The machine meeting these requirements is your responsibility, not the responsibility of the machine’s manufacturer. The manufacturer is only involved in the DQ phase. DQ reviews the function of the design of the machine, what it has to do, the materials used, etc., as well as its software and hardware design specifications. All of this documentation must come from the machine’s manufacturer. This is why it’s helpful to start with equipment already in use in EU-GMP certified operations.

After the DQ phase, the rest is on you.

Phase three will also review your methods for things like cleaning, analytical testing, and batch testing.

 

Phase 4: EU-GMP Inspection and Audit

After phase three is complete, it’s time to submit for an official inspection from your local regulatory authority. It’s suggested to first have a pre-inspection review from a consultant or regulator to confirm you have everything in order, but it’s not required.

During this phase, a representative from your local regulatory authority will complete the first official EU-GMP audit. This takes place on-site and reviews everything from phases one through three.

Once the audit is complete, you will receive a list of issues divided into three categories: critical, major, and minor. You have 30 days to address these issues and resubmit for inspection. From there, the regulators have 30 days to respond to you.

Phase 5: EU-GMP Certification and Ongoing Compliance

With everything complete and approved, phase five is when you receive your EU-GMP certification and are listed in the official EudraGMDP database.

However, the EU-GMP certification process never truly ends, as there are regular audits to ensure you’re still in compliance. Additionally, if anything about your facility, SOPs, or production process changes, you will have to resubmit for approval.

Start Working Toward EU-GMP Certification for Cannabis Now

Future-focused cannabis producers are working toward EU-GMP status even in countries like the US, where exporting isn’t currently allowed. Once global trade opens up, those already operating under EU-GMP guidelines will be able to quickly leverage new markets, while those not following EU-GMP protocol will likely have a lot to change about their operation before they can begin exporting their product.

Start the EU-GMP certification process now so you’re ready for the future.

Contact Us

EU-GMP Certification for Cannabis FAQs

How long does it take to secure an EU-GMP certification for cannabis?

The timeline to secure an EU-GMP certification varies depending on a few factors. You will need to factor in the amount of time it will take to secure your baseline data (i.e., run your gap analysis) to determine where you need to start. From there, the timeline can be impacted by how backed up your regulatory authority is and how much you need to change within your existing operation.

Ultimately, earning an EU-GMP certification for cannabis generally takes anywhere from a few months to a couple of years. It must then be constantly maintained from there.

GMP stands for Good Manufacturing Practices. GPP stands for Good Production Practices. GMP is generally known to be stricter as it regulates pharmaceutical-grade products. GPP is a more basic structure addressing general safety and cleanliness requirements.

GPP is a requirement for cannabis manufacturers in Canada. EU-GMP is a requirement for cannabis manufacturers in the EU. US cGMP is not a requirement for cannabis manufacturers in the United States.

In the US, a cGMP certification is not a requirement for cannabis producers because cannabis is still illegal at the federal level. In the EU, an EU-GMP certification is required for all cannabis producers and manufacturers as it’s considered to be a medicinal product, and any medicinal or pharmaceutical product sold in the EU must be EU-GMP certified.

There are no global GMP standards for cannabis in place at this time; however, producers looking to export their product(s) to the EU must be EU-GMP certified.

Understanding Moldy Cannabis:
Risks and Prevention

Many growers hesitate to acknowledge the possibility of moldy cannabis in their business, especially those who maintain impeccable grows, but it’s a risk even in the cleanest of environments. Disregarding the risk has cost some businesses hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines, not to mention damage to their brand’s reputation. Facing the risk of moldy cannabis head-on removes uncertainty and prepares growers for when they inevitably catch a white powdery spot on a plant.

Prepare yourself and your operation by learning how to identify mold on your cannabis plants, the causes and effects of moldy cannabis, the health risks it can pose, and the best strategies to prevent it.

How do you identify mold on cannabis?

A cannabis plant with mold on it will have diminished aroma, flavor, and sensory effects. You can’t always see the mold right away, but if your flower is starting to look discolored, it may be a sign of mold.

Eventually, the mold will make itself known visually. White powdery mildew will look just like that—white and powdery. It can be mistaken for trichomes, but powdery mildew tends to have a more sawdust-like texture. Other molds may look like dark spots on the plant or appear in spider web-like patterns.

Even if you can’t see it, you may be able to smell it. It will smell similar to other molds you’ve noticed on bread or cheese—musty, damp, and sour like mildew. Be careful here, though. Recently, a different kind of pathogen, an infectious RNA known as hop latent viroid (HLVd), is popping up on cannabis plants. It can also cause a damp smell similar to composting leaves. While it’s not mold, it can certainly make your plants more susceptible to mold outbreaks

What causes mold on cannabis?

It doesn’t take much for mold to grow. Mold spores are naturally present in the air. For them to reproduce, all they need is the right temperature, some moisture, and contact with organic material.

Moldy cannabis is generally caused because the plant itself grows in similar humidity and temperature levels to mold spores. The plant can act as the key third ingredient for mold growth—organic material—but so can things like dust, fibers, or exposed wood.

Maintaining a clean growing environment can help mitigate the risk of mold forming, but the risk can’t be completely eliminated.

What are the effects of moldy cannabis?

The effects mold has on your plants can impact the health of your employees and customers.

If your employees are exposed to moldy cannabis, they may experience symptoms like coughing, congestion, sneezing, wheezing, and nausea. Customers could also feel these side effects if the moldy bud makes it all the way to them. If they’re generally healthy and smoke it, they likely won’t experience negative side effects. But if they have a compromised immune system or are allergic to mold, the effects of smoking moldy cannabis can be serious.

If your market is medical, the stakes are higher. There’s a greater expectation for clean cannabis by consumers and regulators. Consumers use your flower for medicine and can experience worse side effects if it’s moldy than if a generally healthy person consumed it.

Regardless of the market, putting employees and/or consumers in danger is a quick way to ruin a business.

What are the risks of moldy weed?

Apart from the potential health issues your employees and customers could face, selling moldy cannabis could have a grave impact on your business and its bottom line.

For example, in 2024, one Massachusetts MSO was fined $200K for selling moldy weed. This scandal was brought to light by employees of the MSO and supported by complaints from patients and consumers, adding damage to the brand’s reputation.

Selling moldy cannabis also leads to a breakdown in trust between consumers, business owners, and regulators. Without trust and accountability between all three, state programs and the cannabis legalization movement in general suffer

How do you prevent moldy cannabis?

Preventing moldy cannabis starts with the fundamentals: have staff wear personal protective equipment (PPE) over their shoes and clothing to prevent the spread of outside contaminants, maintain a clean grow, and monitor your temperature and humidity levels.

Take prevention one step further by considering the physical structure of your grow. Installing compartmentalized ventilation can help avoid cross-contamination between rooms and growth stages while giving you greater control over temperature and humidity levels.

To prevent moldy cannabis from leaving your facility and landing on dispensary shelves, add a proactive decontamination step to your standard operating procedures (SOPs). Cannabis mold decontamination takes place after the flower is trimmed and before it’s sent off for testing. There are several types of cannabis remediation technology, though regulators often favor radio frequency (RF).

RF is an organic process that eliminates mold on cannabis plants by using long, low, non-ionizing wavelengths to penetrate the core of the bud. These wavelengths cause the water molecules within the plant to vibrate, creating enough heat and friction to kill mold DNA without damaging trichomes or changing the molecular structure of the plant.

With a designated step to decontaminate your flower, you virtually remove any risk of selling moldy cannabis. Think of it like the pasteurization step used for all dairy and nut products. It’s simply cleaning the product before putting it in consumers’ hands.

Finding the Right Cannabis Mold Remediation Machine

The Ziel RFX is the best cannabis mold remediation machine on the market for business owners with long-term plans. It’s already approved for organic operations under the USDA and National Organic Program (NOP) as well as for GMP- and EU GMP-certified facilities. Flower treated by the Ziel RFX has a regulatory compliance pass rate of >99%.

Businesses that incorporate the Ziel RFX into their SOPs recover an average of $1.1 million in lost revenue within the first year of using the machine as they’re no longer losing money on harvests that fail compliance.

To learn more about the Ziel RFX and how you can combat moldy cannabis in your grow, contact Ziel today.

How to Choose the Best Cannabis Cleaning Machine

Cultivators committed to the cannabis industry long-term are preparing for federal oversight and global trade opportunities now, and both require the consistent ability to produce a clean product that’s safe for consumption. When it comes to an agricultural commodity like cannabis, that means ensuring the final product is free of mold and pathogens.

To stay ahead of the growing pains that will come with the inevitable progress of the industry, future-focused business owners are ensuring their products are already clean and safe for the masses by incorporating a cannabis cleaning machine into their operation. Just as in other agricultural industries like dairy or nuts, cannabis products will eventually be required to be decontaminated before sale, regardless of the cleanliness of the grow. Adding a mold remediation machine to standard operating procedures (SOPs) now means avoiding the shock—and expense—of changes and updates later.

Picking the right cannabis machine for your needs starts with these three steps.

1) Choose a Cannabis Decontamination Technology

Cannabis cleaning machines use different technologies to address mold. These are the most common options.

Ionizing Radiation

Ionizing radiation includes technologies like X-ray, e-beam, and gamma rays. These technologies irradiate the product to kill mold and pathogens. They have generally been considered safe; however, regulators are starting to sway cultivators against ionizing radiation as it alters the molecular structure of the plant.

For example, in Canada, producers who decontaminate their cannabis with ionizing radiation must label their products with the Radura, the international symbol that indicates a product has been irradiated. Regulators in the state of Nevada have considered implementing the same.

Similarly, in Germany, any importer who uses ionizing radiation technology to treat their flower must obtain a special license that costs around €4,500 per strain and takes nearly a year to secure.

For these reasons, many businesses are instead considering other cannabis decontamination technologies.

Non-Ionizing Radiation

Non-ionizing radiation includes technologies like cold plasma and Radio Frequency (RF).

Cold plasma is a remediation technology that initiates a high-voltage electrical charge within a gas, creating a cloud of electrons, ions, photons, and free radicals that transfer their excess energy onto the flower. This triggers oxidative reactions that damage the DNA of mold and pathogens and poke holes in their membranes. Although currently considered safe, more research is needed to determine the impact of using free radicals.

RF uses long, slow wavelengths to penetrate the flower to its core. These wavelengths do not alter the molecular structure of the plant or produce free radicals. The USDA and National Organic Program (NOP) have already approved this technology under the USDA Organic label, and it’s been EU GMP-validated, meeting even Germany’s strict standards.

Non-ionizing machines also come with the benefit of completing the entire decontamination process onsite, whereas technologies like e-beam and gamma must be done entirely offsite.

2) Compare Machine Specs and Parts

Choosing the decontamination technology you want will significantly narrow down your options for a cannabis cleaning machine. From there, it’s crucial to analyze the machine itself.

Consider questions like:

  • How and where is the machine manufactured? Will it be quick and easy to get replacement parts, or will you have to wait for them to be shipped from across the globe?
  • What consumable materials will the machine use, and are those also easily accessible or will they ship from the other side of the planet?
  • How much waste will the machine produce?
  • How much electricity will the machine use, and how much will that increase your energy bill?
  • How many people are needed to man the machine? How much will this cost in labor?
  • Will you have to change or renovate your current operation’s layout/floor plan to incorporate the machine?
  • Does the machine require extra equipment? (For example, X-ray technology needs extra chiller equipment to complete the decontamination process.)
  • Does the machine require downtime, or can it stay running?

Answering these questions will help to determine the operational costs for the machine so you can see if it's a viable option for your business.

3) Compare Provided Training and Customer Support

Likewise, it’s important to understand if you’re getting just a machine or if you're getting a machine and a team of professionals (or at least a point of contact) for training and troubleshooting. If you are getting a team of support with your machine, get clear on whether that support is for a limited time or the duration of the machine’s lifetime.

When researching this, ask the sales reps of the cannabis cleaning machines you’re considering if they can connect you with some of their current customers so you can gather firsthand information. You can also ask the rep to share case studies or testimonials and seek out the businesses those highlight to get their direct thoughts about the cannabis cleaning machine and its accompanying support.

Explore the Industry’s Leading Cannabis Cleaning Machine

Now that you know the factors to consider when finding the best cannabis machine for your needs, get to know the non-ionizing machine that cultivators around the world use for mold remediation.

Using the power of Radio Frequency, the Ziel RFX is leading the cannabis industry in safe decontamination. This cannabis cleaning machine can remediate up to 160 pounds of cannabis flower in an eight-hour shift with no downtime.

The Ziel RFX also offers cultivators the chance to learn more about the intricacies of their grow by comparing data from certificates of analysis (COAs) and remediation cycles to identify strains more prone to mold and create strain-specific recipes that promise a 99.9% pass rate with regulatory compliance. This data is updated in real time so you can adjust your decontamination cycles accordingly if need be.

When you partner with Ziel, you gain a team of technicians and scientists ready to help with troubleshooting and data analytics so you can get the most out of your cannabis cleaning machine.

If you’d like to learn more about the Ziel RFX, or just need an expert to provide more insight into choosing the right cannabis cleaning machine for your needs, contact Ziel today.

EU GMP Certification for Cannabis: Top 3 Benefits

The European Union Good Manufacturing Practice (EU GMP) Certification is similar to any other country’s GMP Certification, including the United States. It focuses on businesses that manufacture medicines, mainly the pharmaceutical industry, and sets the minimum standards they must meet to operate legally. These rules help governments to specify the quality of a medicine by the level of compliance the manufacturer meets under GMP criteria. 

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) qualifies cannabis as a medical product and therefore requires any cannabis product that’s distributed in the EU to be produced in an EU GMP Certified facility. This means forward-thinking operators interested in exporting cannabis to EU markets must be EU GMP Certified.

The certification reviews and documents nearly everything in an operation, including but not limited to:

  • personnel
  • supply chains
  • building(s)
  • clothing staff wears
  • distribution chains
  • storage setups
  • documentation procedures

Because EU GMP for cannabis delves so deeply into the operation and ensures consistency across the board, securing the certification offers incredible benefits to businesses and consumers alike.

Check out the top three reasons why cannabis operators are getting EU GMP Certified below.

 2) EU GMP for Cannabis Opens Up New Markets

The EMA requires all medical products sold in the European Union to be manufactured in an EU GMP Certified facility. This means getting your operation EU GMP Certified opens up the entire EU market to your business.

This is an incredible advantage as the EU cannabis market is growing at a fast pace. At this point, over 20 EU nations have proposed medical cannabis legislation, with a few also working toward adult-use markets.

One emerging global player coming out of the EU is Germany. Germany’s medical market is expected to top €420 million in 2024, but the country cannot meet this demand on its own.[1] Only three federally approved suppliers are currently allowed to grow cannabis within the country; the rest of the demand is filled by imports mainly from the Netherlands, Canada, and Portugal, as well as Macedonia, Malta, Czech, and Colombia. In 2023 alone, Germany imported 30 tons of cannabis.

While US operators will have to wait for the plant’s federal status to change before they can export to Germany and other EU countries, securing an EU GMP Certification now will position them for exports in the future. Operators in other countries with federally legal markets, like Canada or Columbia, are currently able to export cannabis products, but if they didn’t start with EU GMP for cannabis, they’ll have to rework their entire business framework to meet EU GMP criteria before they can begin exporting.

If you’re a US operator planning to keep your business around for the long haul, earning your EU GMP Certification now means setting your business up for the future of global exports.

3) EU GMP Supports Long-Term Business Growth

With consistent operations in place, consumer trust earned, and new markets within reach, EU GMP for cannabis ensures long-term business growth.

Having a documented practice that’s EU GMP Certified allows manufacturers to easily mimic production in new locations, so businesses can expand and remain EU GMP compliant. It also allows operators to easily identify where changes or upgrades need to be made so they can continue to meet demand with a consistent product.

This is just the domestic side of things. With EU GMP for cannabis, operators are also positioned for long-term business growth with exporting opportunities. Instead of operating in a siloed state-specific or country-specific market, cannabis businesses can expand across oceans and establish a global presence. This can boost interest in a business’s brand and products both domestically and internationally.

Prioritize EU GMP for Cannabis Now, Reap the Rewards in the Future

The time to start working toward an EU GMP Certification is now. The process is long and detailed, especially if your operation and its SOPs are already established.

One major part of securing an EU GMP Certification for cannabis is the process you use for decontaminating your product before sending it to market. While the US doesn’t have specific requirements for decontamination in place, the EU does. Ionizing and non-ionizing radiation processes are both accepted, but using ionizing radiation (X-ray, gamma, and e-beam) comes with its own set of hoops to jump through outside of EU GMP criteria. Germany, in particular, charges exporters who use ionizing radiation around €4,500 per strain.

Radio Frequency (RF), the industry’s most popular non-ionizing radiation option, does not trigger any extra fees or licensing if used on products exported to the EU. Ziel’s RF technology, in particular, is already EU GMP Validated for microbial control and approved for organic operations by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Organic Program (NOP).

If you’re interested in learning more about securing your EU GMP Certification to prepare to export your cannabis products and are interested in leveraging the advantages of radio frequency microbial control, get in touch with Ziel today.

6 Steps to Prevent, Identify, and Decontaminate Moldy Weed

A mold outbreak in your cannabis grow can be devastating if gone unnoticed or left untreated. Not only is your entire crop at risk, but if moldy weed makes it out of your grow and onto dispensary shelves, your brand and business are at risk too.

To avoid exposing your customers to the health risks of smoking moldy weed and subjecting your brand to a recall scandal, use this 6-step guide to implement preventative measures, identify potential mold risks and outbreaks, and decontaminate your grow by incorporating a mold remediation process into your standard operating procedures (SOPs).

PREVENT

 1) Monitor Your Humidity Levels

Like your cannabis plants, mold spores need moisture to grow. Maintaining consistent humidity levels that nurture your crops without encouraging pathogen growth is crucial to preventing mold.

Some stages of the cannabis growth cycle require higher humidity levels than others, so finding the sweet spot will depend on where you are in the cycle. Generally, the vegetative and flowering stages—where mold makes itself most known—are dryer than the seedling stage, which gives you a bit of an advantage.

Maintaining consistent, proper humidity levels can help to keep mold at bay in more ways than one because pests also multiply with high humidity levels and/or the presence of standing water. As they buzz around your operation, they can spread mold spores and compound the problem.

2)  Install Compartmentalized Ventilation

Mold spores can attach themselves to insects, clothing, and equipment.

Installing and maintaining compartmentalized ventilation for the different rooms in your operation helps to avoid cross-contamination in case of a mold outbreak, and it also helps to maintain the proper humidity levels in each room as discussed above in step one.

IDENTIFY

3) Inspect Your Bud

Unfortunately, mold on weed is hard to identify until it or its impact on your plants is visible. But once it makes itself known, it’s fairly easy to spot moldy weed.

Look for identifiers like:

  • Dark, near-black spots on the flower
  • Yellow or gray fuzz coating the bud or leaves
  • A white powdery substance on the bud or leaves (don’t confuse your trichomes with this; they may look similar but this mold tends to have more of a sawdust texture)
  • Leaf tips turning yellow and brown
  • The presence of slime on plants

4) Use Different Light Techniques

There are a couple of lighting techniques you can use to identify moldy weed in your grow. If you’re going to try these, we suggest removing one plant from your grow room and testing it in a separate area. This will avoid disrupting the rest of the crop’s growth cycle and can help to stop the spread of mold in case you find some.

First, you can put the plant in a dark room and shine a black light on it. Mold glows under a black light, so if it’s there, you should be able to see it easily.

Second, you can put the plant in a dark room and shine a flashlight beam at it. Tap or shake the plant—if a white, dusty cloud shakes off, it’s likely mold.

DECONTAMINATE

5) Choose Your Cannabis Mold Remediation Process

Discovering moldy weed in your operation does not have to be a death sentence if you have the right mold remediation process in place. There are several options available to cannabis cultivators, though as the legal cannabis market matures across the globe, some are being considered inferior to others.

Ionizing Radiation

Ionizing radiation irradiates cannabis flower, penetrating the bud from the outside with short, high-energy wavelengths. Though effective, ionizing radiation changes the molecular structure of the flower and compromises the plant’s natural chemical makeup. Ionizing radiation options include:

  • Gamma radiation
  • Electronic beam (E-beam) radiation
  • X-ray radiation

Non-Ionizing Radiation

Non-ionizing radiation, on the other hand, does not alter the plant’s molecular or chemical structure and is generally considered a safer decontamination process for moldy weed by regulators and consumers alike.

There are two types of non-ionizing radiation processes available to cannabis:

  • Cold plasma
  • Radio frequency (RF)

Cold plasma kills mold on the surface of the bud by using excess energy to cause oxidative reactions that poke holes in mold spore membranes.

RF uses long, lower-energy wavelengths to decontaminate flower from the inside out by generating friction amongst the plant’s water molecules that creates enough heat to kill mold and pathogens without harming the plant’s sensory compounds.

6) Incorporate Cannabis Remediation Into Your SOPs

Cannabis remediation should not be a strategy deployed only in the instance of moldy weed. It should be a major part of your SOPs.

Consider other agricultural industries, like nuts or dairy. Both must pasteurize their products before they’re sent to market regardless of whether or not mold or pathogens were detected in initial production. In order to be sold, they must be cleaned.

The same holds true for other medicinal products and supplements—both are heavily regulated before they’re allowed to enter the market.

Cannabis decontamination should not be a reactive step taken in response to moldy weed. It should be a proactive step taken to avoid moldy weed ever making it into the hands of a consumer in the first place.

Explore Radio Frequency for Moldy Weed

Although there are several mold remediation processes available to cannabis cultivators, radio frequency mold remediation is proving to be the top choice for operators looking to plan for the future and expand abroad.

RF is so safe for treating mold and pathogens that it’s already an approved technique under the USDA Organic label, and it’s so effective it can guarantee a >99.9% pass rate when it comes to cannabis regulatory compliance.

Ziel’s RFX and APEX 7 radio frequency machines, in particular, are safe for organic operations when that designation becomes available to cannabis, they’re approved for EU GMP-certified operations, and they can be incorporated into an existing operation within a week.

If you’re interested in learning more about radio frequency mold remediation or have questions about preventing or identifying moldy weed, get in touch with us today.

EU GMP Certification Valuable Asset for Cannabis Operators Looking to Export

Regulatory compliance and quality assurance are paramount for operators seeking to establish themselves in the cannabis industry. In the United States, for example, each state with a medical or recreational program has its own standards around pesticides, mold content, and other compliance factors. In Europe, a more comprehensive approach to regulatory compliance that mirrors the pharmaceutical market has been implemented.

Although the discussion around recreational cannabis in Europe is still progressing, strict regulations already govern production and distribution across the continent. With this, the European Union Good Manufacturing Practice (EU GMP) Certification has emerged as a crucial asset for cannabis operators, especially those looking to export cannabis to Europe’s medical cannabis markets.

What Is EU GMP Certification?

EU GMP Certification establishes the minimum standard that all European medical manufacturers—including cannabis cultivators and manufacturers—must meet to legally distribute their products under the European Medicines Agency (EMA). This means any domestic cannabis operators in the EU and any companies outside the EU seeking to export to the EU must be EU GMP Certified.

Specific regulations can vary depending on the product type and intended use, but essentially, the certification considers factors such as:

  • Premises and equipment
  • Documentation and records
  • Storage and distribution
  • Complaints and product recall
  • Production controls
  • Quality control
  • Audits and inspections

Germany, the largest importer of cannabis in the EU (30 tons in 2023), has taken it one step further, requiring an AMRadV license for all strains decontaminated with ionizing radiation (X-ray, gamma, and e-beam). This license can take around 12 months to secure and cost around €4,500 per strain.

Current Legal Cannabis Markets in Europe

Over 20 EU nations have proposed some sort of medical cannabis legislation, with a few also laying groundwork for an adult-use market.[1] At this point, you won't find recreational markets like Canada's or the United States’, though adult-use cannabis is still available in certain countries with specific program measures in place, and in other EU countries, patients can secure cannabis for adult use with a prescription.

  • Spain: Cannabis is decriminalized and personal consumption and private cultivation are legal in Spain; however, selling cannabis is illegal. “Social clubs” numbering more than 1,000 nationwide operate in a legal gray area.
  • Netherlands: While recreational cannabis is technically illegal in The Netherlands, the sale and possession of small quantities are tolerated in licensed "coffee shops" under a policy of "de facto" legalization.
  • Luxembourg: Last year, Luxembourg legalized the possession, consumption, and cultivation of up to three grams of cannabis, though public purchasing is still not allowed.
  • Malta: In 2021, Malta became the first EU country to legalize cannabis for adult use using non-profit cooperatives instead of dispensaries.
  • France: A three-year pilot medical program is now halfway complete. However, the government recently announced it’s discontinuing the use of cannabis flower in the program.

Germany is leading the way on proposed legislation changes that are expected to have a ripple effect across the EU and the globe. With the potential for their market to grow 7-10X in the next 18 months, the country’s AMRadV license requirement has cultivators with plans to export to Germany reconsidering their post-harvest decontamination technology choices.

Radio Frequency Decontamination Approved for EU GMP Facilities

For cannabis operators looking to earn or maintain their EU GMP Certification but in need of an effective mold remediation solution that won’t require AMRadV licensing, Radio Frequency (RF) solves both these needs.

RF decontamination is already used for food safety in established agricultural markets like nuts and dates. It’s recognized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as an organic process. And, as of January 2024, Ziel’s RF technology has officially received its EU GMP Certification for microbial control.

This certification allows cultivators wanting to export, or currently exporting, to Germany to avoid AMRadV costs while still maintaining their EU GMP status.

Incorporate RF Decontamination into Your EU GMP Operation

Curious to learn more about RF microbial decontamination and how it can earn you more money without compromising your EU GMP Certification? We’ll walk you through the power of Radio Frequency and what it means to treat your flower organically, without the side effects of ionizing radiation. Get in touch with us today.

ICBC Berlin

Navigating the Compliance Maze Best Practices for Cannabis Businesses

Panel Discussion

The legal landscape surrounding cannabis is constantly evolving, and it can be challenging for businesses to stay on top of the latest compliance requirements. This panel brings together experts in the cannabis industry to discuss best practices for maintaining compliance with state and federal regulations. Topics of discussion include tracking and reporting requirements, security measures, testing and labeling regulations, and more. Whether you’re a new business just starting out or an established player in the industry, this panel will provide valuable insights and guidance for navigating the compliance maze.