CO2 Aromatics

Aromatic oils can be extracted from plant material using CO₂ as the solvent material, producing a different oil than those extracted by steam distillation. Supercritical Fluid and High Pressure Solvent Extraction

The simplest way to explain CO₂ or high-pressure solvent extraction is that you place plant material in a pressure vessel and pump liquefied gas or liquid solvent through at a specific pressure and temperature. The pressure will then force into the cell walls, separating the desired constituents rapidly. CO₂ is now considered a superior solvent for botanicals; it can be widely manipulated with subtle changes in pressure and temperature and leaves no toxic residue behind. There are (1) low-pressure, cold extraction which involves chilling the CO₂ to between 35-55 degrees and pumping through the plant material at between 800 and 1500 psi and (2) Supercritical Fluid extraction which involves heating the CO₂ to above 87 degrees F and pumping above 1,100 psi. Low pressure CO₂ is the preferred method for producing high-quality botanical extracts. Supercritical CO₂ is seen as a promising green solvent because it is non-toxic and separation of reaction components from the starting plant material is simpler than with traditional organic solvents. Advantages of using CO₂ extracts include:

• Closest organoleptic profile, flavor and fragrance to the raw botanicals
• No loss of top notes and back notes
• No chemical and solvent residue, thus pollution free
• High concentration of minor active ingredients means better efficacy
• Better shelf life due to co-extraction of antioxidants

We also carry some fixed oils that are CO₂ extracted. You'll find them here under the category CO2 Extracts