NEW YORK – A new study has revealed that cannabis, even when used for medical purposes, could pose a severe health risk for some consumers due to harmful fungi infecting the plants.
The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology, was conducted by a team of researchers from the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Arizona State University, and Simon Fraser University in Canada. They analyzed data, previous studies, and regulations on the cannabis and hemp industry in the U.S. and other countries.
The researchers found that cannabis and hemp are new crops vulnerable to various fungal pathogens that produce mycotoxins, toxic compounds that can affect human health negatively. They said that these contaminants have been largely overlooked in cannabis and hemp research, which has focused more on the substance and medical uses of the plant.
They also pointed out that the emerging cannabis and hemp industries lack standard human health risk assessment methodologies for food and pharmaceuticals. Moreover, they said that the diverse consumer uses of cannabis and hemp flowers, such as smoking, vaping, eating, or applying topically, make it challenging to evaluate and manage the health risks of these contaminants.
The study reviewed the literature on Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium, Mucor, and other fungi that can infect cannabis and hemp plants and produce mycotoxins. It also discussed the challenges and methods of assessing and testing for these pathogens, such as culture-based assays, immuno-based technologies, and emerging technologies. It also examined the management of these toxins before and after harvest.
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