Here at Betty Nugz Cannabis we take pride in curating a high-quality menu. The medicinal value of cannabis is a top priority for all our Nugz, therefore we add an additional layer of quality control to our procurement process that is in addition to the State's mandatory testing requirements. Cannabis is a new industry in New Mexico and the evolution regarding testing requirements will inevitably occur, but until we cross that bridge as an industry, Betty Nugz Cannabis is stepping it up for the benefit of medical and recreational consumers.
Before onboarding a new flower supplier, Betty Nugz Cannabis requests that the producers bring a minimum of 1 pound per strain for inspection. For the inspection, we gather a microscope, a computer and an overhead light. Each strain is spread out onto a large, sanitized table to identify mold and bud rot.
Product history is also evaluated, such as the producer’s growing, curing and processing methods. After inspection and evaluation, the last step is a consumption test to determine whether the product is beneficial overall. If a cannabis product is found to be contaminated, it is immediately isolated, sealed and returned to the producer.
The largest nugs are the most prone to mold, so the biggest nugs are pulled to dissect, which is usually about 5 nugs per pound. The smell of mold can’t always be detected with a sniff test, partly due to the pungent aroma of the flower. Mold cannot always be detected with the naked eye, so inspection with proper equipment is necessary.
Some of the larger colas (the top portion of the plant) take the longest to dry and cure. The center of the cola near the stem is where mold commonly forms. The nugs are cracked open in several pieces and placed under the microscope and light. Many times, this reveals mold and bud rot. Mold can appear to be white, grey or a dark grey/black and looks like thin fuzzy hairs under the microscope, and it usually starts forming in patches. Mold spreads rapidly so it’s not easy to isolate and stop it from spreading.
Bud rot forms in a similar way and can look like brown/yellow patches. Any mold or bud rot found in the flower is isolated, sealed and documented for the producer, in which case that batch is not accepted, and we return product to the producer. After inspection, all equipment and countertops are thoroughly sanitized.
New Mexico’s current requirement for testing flower is six grams per 15 pound batch maximum. The responsibility of sample collection and transportation to the testing lab remains with the cannabis producer. In other states, it is required that a third party collect and transport the samples to be tested, which helps to mitigate error and ensure a true representative sample collection.
The owners of Betty Nugz Cannabis don’t view the State’s current regulatory testing process as negligent, but as an opportunity to have higher standards for quality that ultimately add value for cannabis consumers. Several producers have brought flower to sell to Betty Nugz Cannabis and nearly half of the batches we inspect had mold or bud rot contamination. For this reason, Betty Nugz Cannabis has found its niche by sifting through nugs and selling cannabis with true, full- spectrum medicinal value that is free of contaminants.
Flower to the People!
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