Kratom comes in different strains and color varieties, and two of the factors that contribute to the color variety of kratom are the harvesting time and processing techniques used. This article aims to educate you on kratom harvesting and the processes it goes through before being sold.
Going through this guide will help you understand how the strains of kratom come about and why there is a difference in the alkaloid profile of each strain.
Kratom trees can reach heights of anywhere from 4 meters to over 25 meters, depending on the region, soil texture, and cultivation techniques used. It can take from 8 months to 3 years for a kratom tree to be suitable for harvesting.
The different strains and color types of kratom are a result of many factors. For example, the strain of kratom is often named by the region where it was found or grown originally. That is, the Bali strain originated from Bali, the Borneo strain from Borneo, etc. In terms of vein color, the three major types are white, green, and red. This difference between colors is tied to how mature the leaves are and the amount of sunlight the leaves are exposed to before harvesting.
Kratom leaves that are still young have lighter vein colors; hence, they are known as white veins. As the tree approaches maturity, the leaf veins darken from white to green, which is known as the green vein. Finally, when the leaves reach full maturity and have been exposed to a lot of sunlight, the veins become darker and red, hence the name red vein.
These different stages of maturity, coupled with the harvesting and processing techniques, can alter the alkaloid profile of each strain, which is responsible for the effects users experience.
After the leaves are harvested, the next stage is drying. However, some modern kratom farmers now initiate a fermentation process before the drying stage. This fermentation can add slight changes to kratom’s chemical composition through various natural processes that shift the balance of alkaloids.
Not all kratom producers use fermentation because it takes more time and labor and alters the effects of kratom strains. The fermentation stage takes place before the drying stage.
Fermentation is achieved by packing the freshly harvested kratom leaves into large bags and leaving them in a dark, indoor space for about 72 hours. Thereafter, the leaves then go through the subsequent drying process.
The fermentation process alters the chemical composition of the leaves by converting alkaloids through oxidation and enzymatic processes. Because of the time and energy spent in achieving this, fermented kratom is often slightly more expensive and less common than standard processed kratom.
Historically, kratom leaves were dried by placing them in the open air and allowing natural elements to do the job. However, since the demand for kratom has grown immensely, commercial indoor drying processes are employed for large-scale processing facilities more frequently.
The indoor drying process involves industrial-scale fans to achieve the drying of the leaves. While this machine-drying process is suitable for large-scale farming, adequate attention and monitoring are needed to prevent mold and mildew development.
The drying process (indoor or outdoor) usually takes between 24 and 72 hours, and the more moisture removed from the leaves, the better the potency of the leaf will be preserved. The drying process can also affect kratom’s taste, as sun-dried leaves tend to have a more earthy flavor, while indoor-dried kratom tends to have a milder taste.
Now that the leaves have been harvested and dried, the next stage is to process the leaves. The leaves can be either crushed into tiny pieces or ground into powders, depending on the final product. After this stage, the products are ready to be packaged and shipped to their final destination.
For reputable producers, the processed kratom granules or powders are tested for purity and potency before packaging. The testing is to ensure that the product is tested for heavy metals and toxic bacteria like Salmonella and e-Coli and to get a read on alkaloid percentages (mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine in particular).
This lab testing stage is where you differentiate the top producers from the mediocre ones. Top producers send out products that are certified, fresh, and potent. In contrast, some producers care less about the test results and ship the products out regardless of quality or do not produce a sufficient amount of tests (1 test per every 100-200kg) to verify the quality.
The whole process from harvesting kratom to packaging can take from 1-3 weeks, depending on the processing techniques and the type of tests carried out on the product.
CONTENT DISCLAIMER: The content on this page is strictly for entertainment purposes only. The content below has not been medically reviewed and is not intended to offer advice for use or intended use. For more information about kratom and its potential dangers, please visit the fda.gov site.
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