First Hemp Producer to Certify in Cannabis Authenticity and Purity Standard

Blue Sky Hemp Ventures takes global lead to consistently deliver a CBD gold standard

GUELPH, ON, Sept. 22, 2021 /CNW/ - As the global CBD and Cannabis market continues to try and raise the bar on consistency, quality, and efficacy, Purity-IQ is proud to announce its partnership with Blue Sky Hemp Ventures; the first hemp company seeking certification in the Cannabis Authenticity and Purity Standard (CAPS).

"We are excited to officially welcome Blue Sky into our CAPS program, the first licensed hemp producer in Canada.  By successfully implementing the CAPS authenticity identity management system (AIMS), Blue Sky will undergo third-party verification from SGS Canada, who will certify their two sites and CBD products.  This will be based upon the company's ability to meet good agricultural and manufacturing requirements, combined with meeting Purity-IQ's innovative science requirements for product certification.  We are confident that by successfully achieving CAPS certification, Blue Sky will gain access to new markets by providing scientific evidence that they are consistently producing and differentiating their brands from their competitors", states Paul Valder, Cofounder and Chief Technical Officer, at Purity-IQ.

The innovative scientific technology underpins the CAPS certification program which captures detailed genomic (DNA) and metabolomic (NMR; Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) data and develops proprietary insights/assets into the diversity of cannabis and hemp cultivars. Purity-IQ and the CAPS program are focused on the validation of innovative NMR technology for use in the Cannabis industry.  NMR enables the industry to not only identify their unique product properties, but also measure consistency of metabolite fingerprints through batch-to-batch testing. "The use of NMR technology makes sense for these complex plants, which are made up of many unidentified compounds. NMR provides a broader analysis than routine, targeted analytical chemistry and is a more cost-effective approach than other conventional testing methods. Not only do you see the specific compounds, but you also see a wide-ranging metabolomic profile of compounds associated with that product.  In collaboration with the NHP Research Alliance at the University of Guelph and German-based Bruker Corporation, Purity-IQ continues to further develop the applied technologies already proven in the honey and wine industries, by now also enabling industry to apply them to the cannabis and hemp sectors", says Valder. 

"By registering for the CAPS certification program and applying the required technology with our own input biomass, we are able to compare the lot-to-lot consistency of the input product we are running in the extraction.  We envision this technology to become the gold standard for CBD authentication - like an Organic Certification. This will go a long way towards building consumer confidence," says Andrew Bailey, Head of Grower Relations, Blue Sky Hemp Ventures. 

Cannabis consumers are looking for consistency and want to ensure that they will receive the same product and experience every time they purchase that product. For medical use it is of even greater importance if a person is reliant on that product to relieve any number of health-related issues.  Consumers need to be confident that the product is going to perform the same way every time.

Baily concludes that, "We know what CBD is capable of, but not all cultivars are created equal. Like any developing industry, we need to gain trust from our partners and consumers to secure the future of this industry." 

About Purity-IQ Inc.

Purity-IQ Inc., a global organization founded on cutting-edge genetic and metabolomic biotechnologies, working with brands to streamline processes and to bring their authenticated products to market. Purity-IQ develops, owns, and operates science-based solutions, standards, and certifications to differentiate and protect brands within the food and beverage, pharma, cannabis, hemp, natural health product, pet food and cosmetics sectors.

About the Cannabis Authenticity and Purity Standard (CAPS)

The Cannabis Authenticity and Purity Standard is a voluntary ISO-based and global certification program tailored specifically for the developing legalized cannabis and hemp industry.  It is specifically designed to help differentiate and protect brands and consumers by applying globally recognized ISO risk based GMP/GAP management systems coupled with leading edge genetic and metabolomic biotechnologies.

Blue Sky Hemp Ventures Ltd.

Blue Sky Hemp Ventures is a growing force in the Canadian hemp processing industry, providing a range of sustainable, high-quality, and exceptional value hemp products throughout North America and around the globe. With headquarters in Alberta, two production facilities and prime farmland in Central Saskatchewan, the company's vision and philosophy, centres on delivering value to people, the planet, our farming partners, and our customers.

SOURCE Purity-IQ Inc.