The food and beverages industry are always looking for the best separation technology to obtain natural compounds of high purity, healthy products of excellent quality with several industrial applications. We in APOTEC BAY always had a vision to achieve sustainability and deliver premium-quality products to all our customers as we have always been doing for the last 90-years.

APOTEC BAY: Pioneering SFE technology in Middle East and Africa (MEA)

 

 APOTEC BAY found that the conventional extraction process for those compounds has some limitations regarding the solvent toxicity, flammability and wastefulness. Research into energetically less costly technologies with respect to the environment was highly needed. Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) known also as CO2 extraction is a relatively new extraction process that has attracted great interest in many industries especially APOTEC BAY. Supercritical fluid (CO2) properties are used selectively to extract specific components as we found that supercritical fluid technology in food processing using carbon dioxide CO2 is ideal because of its non-flammable, non-toxic, non-polluting and recoverable characteristics.

 

The extraction process using Supercritical Fluid Extraction (CO2)

 

First, we place the raw material into the extractor then we inject the solvent CO2 through the pipes by pressuring it. It is super heated before it is pushed through the extraction bin as Carbon dioxide is passed through the extraction vessel CO2 above its critical point (31.1°C, 73.8 atm), transitioning it into a supercritical state until the system pressure is reached as the supercritical fluid penetrates the material like a gas and dissolves the target compounds.

The carbon dioxide liquid is then forced through the plant diluting the flavor, aroma, color, API [(Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient) means the active ingredient which is contained in medicine] of the plant material.

The extracts are then shunted through a separator and the CO2 is recycled into the buffer tank to await the next cycle of extraction. A process of botanical brilliance to extract valuable natural ingredients.

Supercritical CO2 behaves both like a gas and a liquid, providing high diffusivity and selectivity as it interacts with the target compounds, dissolving them into the supercritical fluid then passed to a separator, by adjusting temperature and pressure, the supercritical CO2 can be returned to a gaseous state, leaving behind the extracted compounds and, since CO2 is gaseous at room temperature, it easily evaporates, leaving behind a pure extract without solvent residues.

 

We curate excellence tailored to your needs

 

This green technology is environmentally friendly as it is non-toxic allows you to get:

  • The highest extractions quality with high concentration close to fresh raw-material ingredients characteristics.
  • Concentrated extracts.
  • Extracts free of residual solvents.
  • Allows for precise control over extraction parameters, preserving the desired compounds in substances like essential oils and botanical extracts.
  • Guaranteed fresh flavor, API, and the purest fragrance of all time for food, beverage, medical, and cosmetics industries.
  • Guaranteed a Shelf Life 5 years or longer under proper storage conditions.