Stronga were recently approached by an important and well-respected organisation from the medical cannabis (medicinal hemp) production sector. The client’s main objective was to sterilise their virgin coir growing medium - a blended material with a light density but also various potential risks to the crop. Through steam heat treating the coir substrate in-house using the FlowSteama, the client has been able to reduce risks in the valuable crop whereby the coir substrate often of unwarranted quality can be confidently used for both propagation and in the main growing cycle.

The more that Stronga’s ‘clean-steam-team’ communicated with the client, the more we understood their values and reasoning behind their meticulous approach to sanitation and hygiene. It was clear they were doing everything possible to limit contamination in the production of the medicinal cannabis crop, even using a high-altitude site as their production facility – a place with dry and clean air, removing the risk of airborne and chemical contamination.

Stronga’s contribution to the sanitation protocol was to assist with another important aspect - sterilizing growing substrates – something the client hadn’t been able to control fully until now.

Stronga devised an appropriate solution to meet the client’s objectives, which included:

1) Steam sterilizing the coir substrate blend used for plant (cannabis) cultivation.
2) Control Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, other Enterobacteriaceae (gram negative) species and foreign weeds which germinate after potting.
3) Control insects, eggs and larvae which can hatch and cause issues during the growing cycle.
4) To reliably sterilise the substrate while logging the evidence of diligence. Since the cannabis is used for medicinal purposes, it was crucial that the grown produce was pure, clean and uniform. To achieve this, the coir used to grow the product needed to be sanitised using a clean-steam pasteurization process.

With produce used in the pharmaceutical industry, medical cannabis production is an increasingly regulated process, closely monitored in the US by the ‘Drug Enforcement Agency’ among other standardising agencies. Used to treat disease and injury, medicinal cannabis is often prescribed to people with weak immune systems so the quality of the product is of paramount importance.

The use of pesticides in cannabis production is not recommended in an attempt to limit harmful effects on the final product and to protect the chemical composition of the plant - reducing the potential for chemical pesticide to remain on the plant after use. Medicinal hemp patients also want the most organic growing arrangement possible - minimising or eliminating pesticides and non–organic fertilizers.

This does, however, highlight the need for a rigorous protocol to minimise pesticide use. Steam offers an excellent opportunity for growers to organically eliminate pests, pathogens and weeds in the growing substrate used for medicinal cannabis production.

During our discussions with the client, they explained that their growing substrate consisted mostly of coir - a natural, light and biodegradable material which is highly absorbent and retains high levels of moisture. High moisture content can affect plant growth and, in some cases, can cause moulding to occur; hence the clients desire to ensure the growing medium was completely clean and free of mould spores.

To be precise, the client’s blend was approximately 70% coir; 30% peat. After accounting for importation and handling, the mix goes through a long production process in which other materials are added to the blend; adding to the risk that new weeds and bacteria, spores and other pathogens harmful to hemp could be introduced. ‘Pseudomonas Aeruginosa’ is a particularly problematic bacteria in that it can cause infection in immunosuppressed patients. Whilst the client batch tests each production for quality before release, the FlowSteama helped to alleviate concerns about this particular bacterium which is highly sensitive to heat. Stronga’s FlowSteama offers super-heated steam solution and thus, insurance that multiple pathogens are removed, ‘Pseudomonas Aeruginosa’ included.

Steam pasteurisation is a natural, organic alternative to pesticide use. The growing media (in this case coir) has a large influence over the quality of the final plant - it has a significant impact on both growth and yield. A quality sanitation protocol can ensure that the quality of substrate endures, contributing to the overall maintenance of the product’s integrity. By sanitising the substrate, the client can take precautionary measures to limit diseases which can occur once the growing cycle begins.

When compared to the alternative options, steam pasteurising growing substrates offers the most economic and environmentally-friendly process, allowing the grower to treat the substrate multiple times over. Learn the other advantages:

● Weed seeds, insects and harmful bacteria are eliminated in the FlowSteama which is capable of holding the material at temperature for the required duration. The logging functionality on the FlowSteama’s HMI provides evidence of diligence.
● The whole process is highly efficient, taking as little as 30 minutes to fully sanitise the contaminated product. Sterilised substrate can be utilised almost immediately after the pasteurisation process.
● The coir-peat blend can be reused over and over again, reducing growing media import costs and promoting environmental benefits through recycling a precious resource.
● The SteamBoila delivers low pressure, super-heated steam into the growing media; it is the cleanest solution for use in medicinal plant production.

During our initial discussions with the client, they advised our team of the quantity, size and density of their growing medium. We discovered that approximately 18m³ of coir was used per week and established that batch steaming was the most effective and economic solution for their requirements. We then discussed the significant benefits of the FlowSteama system and pointed them to existing successful projects; this gave the customer peace of mind to proceed with Stronga.

A big selling point for the client, who had an exceptionally meticulous approach to the sanitation, was the logging and monitoring systems available on the FlowSteama’s HMI touchscreen and via downloadable formats. Sensors located in strategic points of the vessel allows the operator to view the temperature profile of the material during the heat treatment process. These readings can be monitored via downloadable spreadsheets or viewed in real-time, allowing the operator to adjust settings accordingly.

Stronga are drawn to heat-treatment projects where the client is using a light substrate such as coco coir. These low-density blends require significantly less energy to sanitise the substrate; thus, leading to even bigger cost savings with minimal environmental impact. Discover a few additional benefits of the FlowSteama solution:

● FlowSteama is fully-insulated; limiting energy losses and ensuring that no steam is lost to the atmosphere, as is the case with sheet steaming.
● Once the coir substrate has fully absorbed the steam, the SteamBoila modulates down and no more steam is produced or wasted. As the client’s growing substrate is so light, it requires 6X less steam than soil, making steaming highly effective.
● The FlowSteama’s “clean” and “dirty” side system allows the client to maintain their strict hygiene protocol – significantly reducing the risk of cross-contamination.
● The low operating pressure of Stronga’s SteamBoila classes it as a low-pressure steam generator so no special operating licence is required. Contact Stronga to confirm your requirements and check local law restrictions.

Stronga’s FlowSteama offers the cleanest, most efficient, environmentally-friendly and economical solution for clients growing medicinal cannabis using light-density growing substrates such as coir-peat blends. To find out more about the options for your company, speak to our ‘clean-steam-team’ today - info@stronga.co.uk