The high pressure extraction process is based on the principle that gases in a fluid state (above the critical pressure and the critical temperature) are able to dissolve larger quantities of natural substances than the partial pressure of the substance in the solvent would normally permit.

For many applications supercritical fluid extraction has several advantages compared to conventional processes. Botanical ingredients sensitive to high temperatures can be extracted smoothly and selectively. There are no solvent residues in the extract or the raw material. Fragrances and aromas remain unchanged. Pure extracts are achieved with fewer process steps.

The extraction agent CO₂ is recycled and does not cause any environmental problems.

The food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries are the main users of ingredients extracted with supercritical CO₂, but new applications and new processes are developed and realized continuously like thin film extraction, particle formation, impregnation, cleaning of metallic party, dyeing and cleaning of textiles, removal of undesired substances, chemical reactions and crystallization.

Patents

• Method for enriching valuable substances from a liquid raw material
  EP-No.: 14 705 694.9
• Method and process for controlling the temperature, pressure and density profiles in dense fluid processes and associated apparatus
  EP-No.: 1 701 775
• Method and device for the extraction of substances from liquids or solids dispersions
  EP-No.: 1 551 524
• Method for extracting lipids from aqueous suspensions of biomass
  EP-No.: 11 711 243.3 (EP-Patent 2 545 149)
• Locking device for fixing a lid
  EP-No.: 1 714 058