Natural Extracts

Supercritical CO₂ Extraction

NatureXtracts produces high value compounds from natural matrices, using only environmentally friendly technology, such as hydro and steam distillation and Supercritical CO₂ extraction.

Supercritical CO₂ extraction is a distinguishing and innovative technology for producing high value compounds. It is a high pressure process working at relatively low temperatures (produces high quality extracts since the integrity of temperature sensitive compounds is maintained) and under oxygen absence which will totally preserve the valuable natural extracts. CO₂ is food grade and considered GRAS (Generally Recognized As Save), an American Food and Drug Administration designation, meaning that a chemical or substance added to food is considered safe. Extracts produced trough Supercritical CO₂ extraction are sterile, highly pure, completely free from solvents and need no preservation.

Steam and Hydro distillation

Steam distillation is commonly used to extract essential oils from vegetable material. In this extraction method, the steam will remove the aromatic molecules from the biological material at a faster rate preventing the oil damage. The degradation of the essential oil can also be avoided by controlling the temperature and the amount of steam applied to the matrix.

Hydro distillation is one of the most traditional method of extraction. Instead of steam, water is used to extract essential oils but, in both methods the vapors of the volatile components are carried by the steam to a condenser.