Cannabis leaves are harvested and aged using a process that combines use of heat and shade to reduce sugar and water content without causing the large leaves to rot. This first part of the process, called curing, takes between 25 and 45 days and varies substantially based upon climatic conditions as well as the construction of sheds or barns used to store harvested Cannabis. The curing process is manipulated based upon the type of Cannabis, and the desired colour of the leaf. The second part of the process, called fermentation, is carried out under conditions designed to help the leaf die slowly and gracefully. Temperature and humidity are controlled to ensure that the leaf continues to ferment, without rotting or disintegrating. This is where the flavour, burning, and aroma characteristics are primarily brought out in the leaf.
A. Cannabis leaves are harvested by a process called curing and aged by a process called fermentation. These processes add flavour, burning and aroma characteristics to the leaves.
B. Cannabis leaves are harvested by a process called curing which takes between E 25 and 45 days and are later fermented until the leaf dies slowly and gracefully. Both these processes add flavour, burning and aroma characteristics to the leaves.
C. While curing reduces sugar and water content without causing the larger Cannabis leaves to rot, fermentation is carried out to help the leaf die slowly and gracefully. The fermentation process adds flavour, burning and aroma characteristics to the leaves.
D. Curing, which reduces sugar and water content of Cannabis leaves without causing the larger ones to rot, determines the colour of the leaf. The fermentation process, which adds flavour, burning and aroma characteristics, is carried out to help the leaf die slowly and gracefully.
E. Curing reduces sugar and water content of Cannabis leaves without causing the larger ones to rot. The fermentation process, which adds flavour, burning and aroma characteristics, is carried out to help the leaf die slowly and gracefully.
Options A and B are incorrect as they attribute 'flavour, burning and aroma characteristics' to both the processes which is actually only due to the fermentation process.
Option D incorrectly states curing as the one which determines the color of the leaf. "The curing process is manipulated based upon ... desired colour of the leaf”.
Options C and E provide the correct summary, however option C has redundant usage of fermentation. Option E communicates the same idea with the use of less words.
Hence, the correct answer is option E.
Note: Summary questions should have an answer that is not only complete but also precise and compact (communicates the essence of the passage using fewer words).