Reporter Park Soo-hyun of Money Today | 2023.05.31 09:05
NFC, a company specializing in cosmetic materials, announced on the 31st that it has applied for a patent for a high purity purification method for CBD (Cannabidiol), the main ingredient of hemp. NFC was able to refine the low purity CBD by-product extracted from the hemp plant (HEMP) to high purity by using the medium pressure chromatography (MPLC) method which separates and analyzes the components of the substance. This patent focused on improving industrial materials with a purity of more than 90% by recycling hemp by-products, which were discarded due to their low CBD content.
Although CBD separation methods have been mentioned in existing hemp plant studies, this is the first instance of a study on how to separate CBD by-products into purification and use. Refined CBD is expected to be used as a material for medicine and food as well as cosmetics. NFC has led to the result that it is easy to provide a process for mass production.
Cosmetics with CBD ingredients are confirmed to have skin protection, regeneration and anti-aging effects. NFC is paying attention to the growth potential of CBD beauty and plans to make a pre-emptive entry when regulations are eased. Currently, CBD is regulated by the Narcotics Control Act in Korea and can only be used for research purposes.
In the first quarter of this year, NFC’s consolidated sales increased 35.5% year-on-year to KRW 9.9 billion, and operating profit increased 40.3% to KRW 930 million. In the material business, supply to major customers at home and abroad is improving, and in the finished product business, the demand for leading products, especially indie brands and the North American market, is increasing rapidly, confirming the recovery of the industry.
[저작권자 @머니투데이, 무단전재 및 재배포 금지]
