SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — San Diego is now home to one of the state's largest cannabis testing facilities.
Infinite Chemical Analysis Labs in San Diego is the state's first cannabis testing facility to receive an annual license.
Testing sites are the gatekeepers between the manufacturer and distributors and the businesses that sell cannabis on the regulated market
“We are a public safety lab, we're not just a cannabis company. We are here to make sure the public has a safe product on the shelves,” said Josh Swider, PhD, CEO and Co-Founder, InfiniteCAL.
CBS 8 got an inside look at the labs where chemists grind cannabis gummies using nitrogen and turn it into powder.
“It basically is pulverizing the sample at a really cold temperature,” said Erik Paulson, Lab Manager, InfiniteCAL.
That powder is then transferred to another lab using solvents, a hot bath and can be shaken down to a liquid to test.
There is also another lab where they test for pesticides.
“If we do find a pesticide in a sample we flag it and report it,” said Paulson.
The new 16,000-foot space is one of the largest cannabis and hemp testing labs in the state of California where they plan to add 200 jobs.
“It's a great opportunity especially for people coming out college and looking for a job in science,” said Swider.
As the state phases out provisional licenses, InfiniteCAL is the first to receive an annual license. That distinction means products they inspect are held to a higher standard.
“There are a lot of labs out there that have participated in unscrupulous practices. We are trying to be honest, we are trying to be right and accurate,” said Paulson.
Companies and brands may even provide a QR code of where it is tested so consumers know what's on the shelf is safe, but customers can always ask about where products were tested.
Turnaround around time is about 2-3 days and they consult with thousands of growers on how to improve their product
“We want to be the lab that gives results for the consumers that are safe, but we also want to help clients make safe products,” said Paulson.
From the grower to retail, InfiniteCAL in San Diego plays an essential role in the thousands of cannabis and hemp products on the U.S. market.
“We've set the standard high and consistent safe product in the cannabis market,” said Swider.
According to Global Market Insights, the Cannabis Testing Market size was valued at USD 1.0 billion in 2018 and is expected to witness more than 13.4% CAGR from 2019 to 2025 alongside the market size estimated to generate $2.44 billion by 2027.
InfinteCAL also has a testing facility in Michigan and most recently became the first in the country to receive a full Colorado hemp testing lab certification in 2021.
InfiniteCAL plans to open two new labs in 2022 with plans to expand further in 2023.
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