Moisture in pharmaceutical products can potentially affect the product’s physical properties and the effectiveness of the active ingredients, as well as its stability and shelf life. It is fundamental to understand the water content of intermediate products in formulating the final product without compromising the overall product quality. It is also important to know the water content of the final formulation to best understand the risk of API degradation, reduction of efficacy and decreased shelf stability.

Moisture in dried plant products such as cannabis flower (finished product) can cause microbiological spoilage, especially if the dried content is not irradiated.