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The food industry is one of the pioneering fields in the adoption of supercriticalCO2 (scCO2) extraction, now an essential method for extracting plant ingredients. Used on a large scale for decades, this technique is highly advanced and developed for industrial applications in the food industry. Due to its ability to extract compounds efficiently, cleanly and ecologically, scCO2 extraction is experiencing rapid growth in this field.
For the record, it was the principles ofCO2 decaffeination of coffee and tea and extraction of hop resins that enabled the industrialization of extraction or fractionation processes. Since then, they have been extended to many other applications: pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and, above all, the food industry, with the extraction of natural flavors.
The agri-food industry is facing increasing demands in terms of environmental protection and public health. These challenges, coupled with increasingly stringent regulations, are prompting a shift away from the use of toxic petrochemical-based chemical solvents towards extraction processes that are more respectful of the environment, consumers and workers. It is against this backdrop that supercriticalCO2 (scCO2) extraction is emerging as a sustainable solution for the food industry.
In addition, the use of supercriticalCO2 in the food industry is an alternative to traditional processes that meets the requirements of environmental protection, public health and the need to minimize process energy consumption. The importance of supercriticalCO2 extraction in the food industry stems from the fact that it enables the extraction of specific compounds such as flavors, “essential oils”, antioxidants or colorants, from vegetable raw materials without altering their composition.
Finally, the extracts obtained are of higher quality, with properties as close as possible to those of the raw material, and can be used in various food applications such as food additives, natural flavors and colorants, thanks to supercriticalCO2 technology for the food industry. SupercriticalCO2 in the food industry also has a selectivity property that enables it to obtain specific aromatic notes, impossible to obtain using traditional techniques.
SupercriticalCO2 in the food and beverage industry offers a wide extraction spectrum, and can be used to obtain a range of different matrices, :
This technology is compatible with most labels and certifications (e.g. : Hallal, kosher, organic, etc.).
To extract with CO2 extraction in the food industry, we have two ranges of standard equipment to suit your needs: the SFE Prod range and the SFE Lab range, all based on CO2 technology for the food industry. If you want to go further than extraction and want to purify your extract, we have a range of chromatography equipment, ideal for purifying food extracts with CO2.
All our machines can be prepared for GMP, 21 CFR Part 11 certification, to guarantee environmentally-friendly extraction processes in foodstuffs that comply with the most stringent standards.
SFE Process has a research and development laboratory to carry out your feasibility studies for supercriticalCO2 extraction in the food industry and develop tomorrow’s technologies. Would you like to carry out trials on your biomass before embarking on the extraction of natural flavors for the food industry, or the purification of food extracts withCO2? Our laboratory is equipped with several pilots to offer you a quality service and full support for scale-up, from laboratory to pilot scale, producing your first batches with supercriticalCO2 technology for the food industry.
We support you in the industrialization of your project, offering you comprehensive follow-up and professional training, anywhere in the world, throughout your process and well beyond!
At SFE Process, we offer supercriticalCO2 (scCO2) extraction solutions for a variety of industries and specific applications. Find out how our innovative technology can meet your needs.
Book a meeting with our engineers and chemists, so that together we can find the best solutions for implementing or improving your process.
