Medicinal Genomics CSO and Founder Kevin McKernan addresses concerns that have been raised about testing cannabis samples for yeast and mold contamination. The presentation covers several myths and misunderstandings surrounding the enumeration of yeast and mold, Including:

• Myth: Plating is the gold standard for microbial testing
• Myth: Culture-based results accurately represent the microbial population on a samples
• Myth: Variations in ITS copy numbers within different organisms leads to inaccurate quantification with qPCR
• Myth: Polymerase inhibitors found in cannabis compromise qPCR results
• Myth: The ubiquitous presence of DNA contamination in laboratory reagents prevents accurate enumeration with qPCR

Topics Include:

• Differences of Molecular Methods Vs. Culture Based Methods
• Working with State Regulators & Understanding Regulations
• ISO Accreditation
• Quantitative vs. Qualitative Tests