7 Hidden Places Aspergillus Risk Can Exist in a Cannabis Grow
Where Is Aspergillus Coming From in Your Cannabis Grow?
When a cannabis batch fails Aspergillus testing, operators naturally look at the flower.
But the product may be the detection point rather than the origin of the problem.
Cannabis cultivation facilities contain plants, organic materials, water, air movement, employees and equipment.
Understanding contamination requires looking at the entire production system.
Here are seven areas worth investigating.
1. Soil and Coco
Growing media enters the facility early and remains in close proximity to plants throughout cultivation.
Soil, coco and other organic materials therefore deserve consideration during a contamination investigation.
Look beyond the brand printed on the bag.
Consider:
How is media transported?
Where is it stored?
Is it exposed to moisture?
How is it handled before entering cultivation?
The entire pathway matters.
2. HVAC and Airflow
Air doesn't respect room names.
Air movement can connect different areas of a cultivation facility, which makes HVAC and airflow important components of contamination risk assessment.
An investigation may consider filtration, maintenance, airflow patterns, pressure relationships, dust accumulation and environmental conditions.
The question isn't simply:
Does our HVAC work?
It's:
How does air move through our production environment?
3. Moisture and Condensation
Fungal risk and moisture management are closely connected.
Potential areas of concern can include:
Condensation
Irrigation leaks
Drainage
Persistent wet areas
High humidity
Moist building materials
Hard-to-access spaces
Not every moisture problem is obvious from the center of a grow room.
Sometimes you have to look behind, above and underneath equipment.
4. Water and Irrigation Systems
Reservoirs, tanks, irrigation lines and other water-system components should be included when evaluating a cultivation operation.
Ask:
How is the system maintained?
Where can material accumulate?
How often is it inspected?
Are there areas that are difficult to clean?
Water management should be part of the larger contamination picture.
5. Employees and Their Equipment
Employees move constantly.
So do their:
Shoes.
Clothing.
Gloves.
Phones.
Tools.
Carts.
Scissors.
Bins.
An employee moving between production areas may unintentionally create a cross-contamination pathway.
That's why contamination prevention requires evaluating movement, not simply cleaning.
6. Drying and Curing Areas
The grow room gets enormous attention.
The drying room deserves it too.
After harvest, the product enters a completely different environment.
Moist plant material is drying.
Plants may be densely positioned.
Employees are handling product.
Airflow and humidity conditions change.
Then flower moves into curing, trimming and storage.
If microbial problems appear repeatedly, don't stop your investigation at harvest.
7. Shared Tools and Equipment
Shared equipment can connect areas that otherwise appear separate.
Consider:
Harvest bins
Scissors
Carts
Ladders
Cleaning equipment
Trays
Tables
Mobile tools
A room can be cleaned thoroughly and then potentially exposed again through equipment brought in from another production area.
Sanitation without workflow control can leave a major gap.
The Real Question: How Are These Areas Connected?
Finding one potential risk doesn't necessarily mean you've found the source.
The more useful question is:
How could contamination move from this location to the product?
That's what turns an observation into a contamination investigation.
At Cannabis Contamination Solutions, our Facility Contamination Risk Assessment examines the cultivation facility as an interconnected production system.
We identify potential vulnerabilities, prioritize findings and develop corrective-action and targeted testing recommendations based on what we observe.
Your contamination problem may be hiding somewhere you're not looking.
Schedule a Facility Contamination Risk Assessment
Cannabis Contamination Solutions
CannabisContaminationSolutions.com