Verdant Oasis and HempFusion achieve GRAS status for VOHO Hemp Oil
26 Jan 2022 --- A producer of phytocannabinoid-rich hemp oils, Verdant Nature, in partnership with US-based CBD brand, HempFusion, has achieved self-affirmed Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) status for the Verdant Oasis brand phytocannabinoid-rich whole-plant hemp extract (VOHO Hemp Oil).
To obtain the GRAS status, an independent examination of safety studies was conducted on VOHO Hemp Oil by a panel of toxicologists, including experts from GRAS Associates.
The tests followed the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Redbook Guidelines.
“The FDA expects the hemp industry to prove the safety of phytocannabinoid-rich hemp oil, and Verdant Nature has answered the call,” says Carl Germano, vice president of Verdant Nature.
“Extensive toxicology studies were conducted in accordance with FDA Redbook guidelines, including Ames Mutagenicity, Micronucleus Genotoxicity, 14 Day Acute, 90 Day Sub-Chronic and Maximum Tolerated Dose.”
The review and evaluation of these studies and the NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect) were published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal PLOS One, Germano continues.
Ensuring safety and accuracy
VOHO Hemp Oil GRAS status provides a runway for clients to expand from dietary supplements to novel functional foods, incorporating benefits of phytocannabinoids’ support of the body’s Endocannabinoid System (ECS), explains Germano.
“This independent review further assures Verdant Nature’s customers of the safety and legality of phytocannabinoid-rich hemp oil.”
Self-affirmed GRAS status was achieved through an independent review of extensive safety tests conducted on VOHO Hemp Oil.
Many products touted as hemp extracts are marijuana products according to genetic tests recently published in the New Phytologist. This confirms that many high-CBD cannabis products claimed as hemp extracts are derived from marijuana, continues Germano.
Verdant’s FDA-registered facilities
Verdant Nature’s VOHO hemp oil is derived from European seed bank-registered industrial hemp with proven genetic stability, the company adds.
The hemp oil is extracted from Verdant’s FDA-registered facilities that are independently certified HACCP and GMP compliant by SGS, certified organic under the USDA-National Organic program, and released for interstate commerce through the United States Customs and Border Protection entry process.
“The authors of the New Phytologist test results conclude that high CBD plants are genetically marijuana and cannot be expected to meet the legal definition of industrial hemp,” says Germano.
“This suggests that CBD products derived from these materials may be incorrectly labeled and potentially misbranded.”
Therefore, Nature’s VOHO new hemp oil overcomes present issues in the CBD industry.
Previously, Verdant Nature partnered with CReDO Science to advise companies entering the CBD market to develop innovative, high-quality hemp-derived compositions. Meanwhile, HempFusion participated in a ValidCare scientific study, which answered the FDA’s concerns about CBD products.
Edited by Nicole Kerr
