Process Outline
Dry spices, herbs and oil seeds are cleaned of the adhered impurities and other foreign material and powdered.
The powder is charged to the pre-heated extraction vessel and the vessel is pressurized with CO2 from the storage tank. The CO2 is passed through the extraction vessel resulting in the extraction of target products (e.g. Oleoresin/Essential Oils). By depressurization of this mixture in a separator vessel, gaseous CO2 is recovered, recycled, and fed back to the storage tank.
The extract is collected at the bottom of a separator vessel and is withdrawn. Due to the earlier natural evaporation of the CO2, this product is solvent-free. It is checked for quality, standardized to customer requirements, packed and labelled.
The powder is charged to the pre-heated extraction vessel and the vessel is pressurized with CO2 from the storage tank. The CO2 is passed through the extraction vessel resulting in the extraction of target products (e.g. Oleoresin/Essential Oils). By depressurization of this mixture in a separator vessel, gaseous CO2 is recovered, recycled, and fed back to the storage tank.
The extract is collected at the bottom of a separator vessel and is withdrawn. Due to the earlier natural evaporation of the CO2, this product is solvent-free. It is checked for quality, standardized to customer requirements, packed and labelled.
Technology
Advantages - Process
- CO2 is a colorless, tasteless, odorless, and non toxic GRAS solvent
- Low temperature process – does not effect heat sensitive ingredients
- Process in non-oxidative CO2 atmosphere
- Longer shelf life for end products
Advantages - Products
- No residual solvents
- No heavy metals
- No microbial contamination
- Higher concentration and lower consumption by 15-25%
The conventional distillation/solvent extraction process being largely used currently is not an environment-friendly process and has inherent disadvantages like thermal degradation, hydrolysis, heavy metals, and traces of unacceptable residual solvents. The SCFE process overcomes these drawbacks.