Cannabis Curing Technology: Why Post-Harvest Innovation Matters More Than You Think

From MJ Biz Con Week: A conversation with Jane Sandelman of Cannatrol on the science of curing, terpene preservation, and building cannabis brand loyalty

If you've ever judged a cannabis competition or worked in cultivation, you know this truth: when the cure is off, nothing else matters. Great genetics, perfect growing conditions, beautiful trichomes—all wasted if the post-harvest process fails.

Jane Sandelman of Cannatrol is on a mission to change that with patented cannabis curing technology that wasn't even originally developed for the plant. From cheese caves in Vermont to dispensaries across the country, Cannatrol's vapor pressure control systems are revolutionizing how cannabis is dried, cured, and stored.

How Cannabis Curing Technology is Revolutionizing Post-Harvest Quality

The cannabis industry has long struggled with a fundamental challenge: cultivation receives enormous attention and investment, while post-harvest handling gets treated as an afterthought. Advanced cannabis curing technology is changing that equation by bringing the same level of precision and control to drying and curing that growers apply to their cultivation environments.

Cannatrol's approach controls vapor pressure in enclosed spaces, creating the stable environment necessary for proper terpene preservation and mold prevention. This isn't experimental technology—it's proven science adapted from other industries where consistency and quality control are non-negotiable.

From Cheese Caves to Cannabis: An Unexpected Innovation

Cannatrol's origin story is refreshingly unconventional. Jane's husband David, a self-described tinkerer and inventor, owned a farm-to-table restaurant in Vermont where they met local cheesemakers who complained about their inability to control aging spaces.

David's solution? A patented technology that controls vapor pressure in enclosed spaces. After success with cheese aging, the technology expanded to charcuterie and dry-aged meat. Then came the lightbulb moment.

"One day Dave said, you know what, physics is physics. I bet this is gonna work great on cannabis flower. And we took it, Dave built a little unit, which is now the Cool Cure, and we gave it to a local grower and he tried it and he called us up and he said, I don't know what this is, but you're not getting it back."

That first tester? He still has the unit to this day.

The Science of Preservation: Why Terpenes Matter

Cannatrol's cannabis curing technology addresses a fundamental challenge in post-harvest: preserving terpenes while removing moisture that allows mold and microbes to grow.

The key lies in understanding two types of water in cannabis flower. Free available water is where microbes thrive and must be removed quickly. Bound water maintains the structure of the flower and protects terpenes—this needs to stay.

Cannatrol's systems remove unbound water rapidly while holding the flower in a perfectly stable environment. This stability allows trichome heads—only two cell walls thick—to harden quickly, sealing in terpenes before they can degrade or evaporate.

"It's all about consistent environment, consistent stable environment. If you have an environment swinging all over the place, your trichome heads are not curing quickly and sealing in the terpenes and things just run amok. That stability, consistency—that's what's gonna create brand loyalty."

The Technology Behind Terpene Preservation

Modern cannabis curing technology works by maintaining flat-line stability in the curing environment. Unlike traditional methods where temperature and humidity swing wildly, controlled vapor pressure keeps conditions perfectly consistent. This allows cultivators to be cultivar-specific in their curing protocols—some strains taste great eight days out, while others benefit from three months of curing.

The Cure Makes or Breaks the Experience

Jane draws a compelling parallel to the wine and beer industries. We've evolved from drinking cheap wine out of jugs to appreciating fine bottles worth hundreds of dollars. What changed? Consumers learned to value consistency and quality over simple metrics like alcohol content.

Cannabis is on the same trajectory. It's not just about THC percentage anymore—it's about being able to return to a dispensary, purchase the same product, and have a consistent experience every time.

For medical patients, this consistency isn't just preference—it's essential. Patients rely on specific cultivars to manage seizures, fibromyalgia, and countless other conditions. When the cure varies, so does the medicine's effectiveness.

Preventing the Grassy Taste (and Worse)

That unpleasant grassy taste in poorly cured cannabis? It's chlorophyll conversion happening too slowly in an unstable environment. Cannatrol's stable conditions accelerate this conversion properly while preventing the environmental swings that stress trichomes and degrade quality.

Beyond taste, proper curing prevents more serious issues. If flower isn't dried correctly, mold growth is inevitable. Failed lab tests mean lost batches, lost revenue, and in an industry with razor-thin margins, potentially catastrophic losses.

"People spend so much time and love and effort and cultivation. But it's only half the story. If you don't follow through in post harvest—if you grow this gorgeous flower and then you stick it in a barn, or you stick it in a room with an air conditioner—you're gonna wreck it. Why wouldn't you put the same kind of effort into your post harvest handling?"

Measurable Results: Data-Driven Improvements

Cannatrol isn't just making subjective quality claims. Commercial cultivators using their cannabis curing technology report yield increases of 5-7% that drop straight to the bottom line. They're also seeing measurable improvements in terpene profiles—the Save the Terps movement in action.

The technology works at every scale. Home growers, particularly medical patients growing their own medicine, appreciate knowing their product will be safe and high-quality. Commercial operations gain the consistency required for brand building and, increasingly, regulatory compliance.

The Path to Discovery: Learning the Why

When Cannatrol first entered the cannabis space, they knew their technology worked—growers were giving rave reviews. But Jane and David didn't understand why.

Being analytical by nature, they partnered with the Chemist Research Coalition to understand the kinetics behind their flower's exceptional quality. Working with researchers like Dr. Allison Justice, they discovered the science of trichome preservation, cell wall hardening, and terpene retention.

This research continues today. Cannatrol remains in a constant state of discovery and improvement, driven by the need to explain not just that the technology works, but precisely how and why.

Try It Yourself: The Best Sales Tool

Cannatrol's most effective sales strategy? Let the cannabis curing technology speak for itself. Rather than giving away units, they encourage potential commercial clients to invest in a Cool Cure unit for their lab and run side-by-side testing.

It's a confidence play that demonstrates genuine belief in the product. Make the investment, test it yourself, and call when you're ready to scale. For an industry that's been burned by overhyped solutions, this approach builds credibility through results.

Building the Future of Cannabis Quality

As the cannabis industry matures, consistent quality will separate winners from losers. European markets already require this level of consistency, even if enforcement lags behind regulation. North American markets are heading in the same direction.

Cannatrol's cannabis curing technology, proven across multiple industries before cannabis adoption, positions them at the forefront of this quality evolution. From preserving artisanal cheese to protecting precious terpenes, the physics remains the same—it's just a matter of applying proven science to a plant that deserves better treatment.

Want to connect with Jane? Find her on Linkedin! https://cannatrols.com/

This conversation was recorded at MJ Biz Con Week 2025.