What Makes Cannabis Extracts Colorful?

Why are VIVA’s live-resin cartridges orange?

When processed, the compounds of the cannabis plant produce a variety of colors, but why does this happen and what does it mean?

VIVA’s THCV strains are high in terpenes, and terpenes are a compound of the cannabis plant (along with other things like chlorophyll) that provide the plant with its color. High-terpene live-resin extracts are colorful and flavorful, and range in color from light yellow to a faint red. VIVA is right in the middle with golden oranges.

Basically, the more terpenes, the richer the color.

VIVA’s extraction is done by Higher Cultures, who produces the best quality live-resin extracts in Oregon. VIVA cartridges are the highest quality of cartridges produced, which are the “High Terpene Extract, which is comprised of terpenes, esters, and other aromatic compounds in a much higher ratio to THC… This is the closest you will get to tasting cannabis at its most ripe (or, right before it’s picked). We like to think of HTE as the pure essence of a cannabis strain, and developed this cartridge explicitly for the flavor-forward consumer.” You can learn more about HTE here.

Color sometimes has nothing to do with the quality of the product, but it can be hard to tell if a company has altered the color of their product.

Many cannabis companies have their oil undergo color remediation, which is a process that filters out unwanted things in the oil (such as contaminants and pesticides, plant sugars, lipids, and chlorophyll) that can alter a product’s color. If a company wants to provide the consumer with a consistent-looking product, they may choose to use this process so their product remains recognizable. But it also gives companies the chance to put out and cover up a bad product.

Even though this process is commonly used throughout the food and drink industry, most people assume companies use this process to hide impurities, and this is why VIVA opts out of those practices.

We prefer to give our consumers the purest, most natural form of cannabis possible.