Indigenous and improved fungally fermented cbd, cbg and related cannabinoid oral dosage forms

Abstract

The present invention is a novel and enhanced co-fermentation product of hemp and cannabis, in which 1 part by weight shredded or divided hemp stems, leaves and flowers are admixed into a slurry with at least one part by weight up to two parts by weight water and the slurry is sterilized prior to inoculation with solid or liquid mycelium culture. After inoculation, fermentation takes place at 66-70 degrees F. for 14-28 days, followed by drying of the fermented admixture at 110-165 degrees F. for 24-48 hours, prior to co-minuting or powdering the dried end product for incorporation in oral dosage forms such as pressed tablets, manufactured capsules or powder or as an ingredient in functional foods. By following these method steps including the initial creation of aqueous hemp slurry with the prescribed ratio ranges of water, both hemp and mushroom component conversions occur to an unexpected degree.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A method of co-fermenting one or more species of cannabis with mycelial culture of one species of mushroom, comprising the steps of:
 a) dividing any of aerial parts (leaves or flowers) of one or more cannabis species into particles having a major dimension of 1 cm or smaller to create a quantity of shredded cannabis;   b) admixing one part by weight of said shredded cannabis from step a) with at least one up to two parts by weight of water to form a slurry;   c) sterilizing said slurry at at least 200 degrees F. for 2-4 hours and allowing the slurry to cool to 66-70 degrees F.;   d) inoculating said slurry with solid mycelium culture;   e) incubating an inoculated slurry formed in step d) at 66-70 degrees F. for 14-28 days to form a mycelial biomass;   f) drying said mycelial biomass at 110-165 degrees F. for 24-48 hours to create a co-fermentation product; and   g) co-minuting said co-fermentation product to an aggregate of particulates.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said cannabis is selected from the group consisting of:  Cannabis indica, Cannabis sativa  and  Cannabis ruderalis.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said cannabis is hemp as defined by the 2018 Farm Bill. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said mushroom species is selected from the group consisting of:  Ganoderma lucidum, Ganoderma japonicum, Ganoderma applanatum, Ganoderma tsugae, Lentinula edodes, Grifola frondosus, Tremella fuciformia, Tremella mesenterica, Cordyceps sinensis, Cordyceps militaris, Hericium erinaceus, Polyporous umbellatus, Scizophylum commune, Fomes fomentaris, Inonotuus obliquus, Lepiota procera, Auricularia auricula, Tuber melanosporum, Tricholoma matsutake, Hericium coralloides, Trametes versicolor, Phellinus linteus, Poria cocos, Antrodia camphorata, Flammulina velutipes, Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus energyii,  and  Agaricus blazeii.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said particulates further comprise a powder. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the incubating step e) is conducted at 68 degrees F. 
     
     
         7 . A co-fermentation product resulting from the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         8 . The product according to  claim 7 , wherein said co-fermentation product has a SDF/IDF ratio of 1:25-29. 
     
     
         9 . The product according to  claim 7 , wherein said co-fermentation product contains compounds formed by mushroom culture metabolism of insoluble dietary fiber and other nutrients in said cannabis. 
     
     
         10 . The product according to  claim 7 , wherein at no time after inoculating said slurry are said cannabis and said mushroom components separated from said co-fermentation product.