Nutraceuticals | Uses for Supercritical Fluids

Nutraceuticals | Uses for Supercritical Fluids

“Let food be thy medicine” ~ Hippocrates

 Historically, Chinese and Indian medicines have a rich tradition of using natural products and extracts for promoting healthy living.
Definition
Nutraceutical is a term used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods. They can be used to promote general well-being, control symptoms and prevent disease processes.
Nutraceuticals and Supercritical CO2 extraction
Many nutraceuticals are presently isolated from natural products by steam distillation or extraction with organic solvents. Steam distillation is carried out at high temperatures and results in the thermal decomposition of many bioactive compounds. Extraction of nutraceuticals with organic solvents like hexane, methanol or methylene chloride can leave toxic solvent residues in the nutraceutical extract.
Compared to traditional extraction methods, natural supercritical CO2 extraction has many benefits and is Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS). Supercritical CO2 extraction eliminates exposure of the natural product to oxygen during the process and thus reduces oxidation of sensitive bioactive compounds. It also is a low temperature operation that does not promote thermal degradation of sensitive nutraceutical compounds . In addition, when the supercritical CO2 extract is depressurized, there are no toxic residues remaining in the nutraceutical extract.
Supercritical CO2 has been used to extract thousands of nutraceuticals from: nuts, seeds, grains, vegetables, fish oils, microalgae, herbs, spices, roots and fruits.
A few of the supercritical CO2 nutraceutical extracts include: Polyunsaturated fatty acids, squalene, sterols, tocopherols, carotenoids, EPA. DHA, vitamin A, pigments, oleoresins, antioxidants, phenolic compounds, terpenoids, vitamin E, essential oils, astaxanthin and many triglyceride compounds.
At Applied Separations, we have a proven commitment to advancing Supercritical Fluids technology and have worked with companies all over the world to incorporate SCF into their processes. Thanks to a top-notch R&D team, in-house engineers, and visionary approach, we're working hard to develop and enhance applications of this green technology in many unexpected industries.