Extracting Solids From Byproducts of Natural Feedstock
Extracts are potent concentrations of flavor and fragrance and make invaluable ingredients for scented candles, cosmetics, cleaning products, and perfume. Ancient civilizations worldwide used extracts for their medicinal properties, pigments, and aromas, and the global plant extracts market is worth over $25 billion1 today. Keep reading to learn more about the solid extraction process and how we can make it more sustainable to meet the growing demands of the natural fragrance industry.
What is Solid Extraction?
Extraction is the process of separating desirable or active ingredients from raw materials, also called feedstocks, such as herbs, fruit, or flowers. Solid-liquid extraction involves using an organic solvent, such as ethanol, to extract flavor and fragrance compounds from solid plant matter. Many manufacturers use hot gas, granulation, or vacuum technology to dry liquid extracts, removing the solvent and reducing them to a powdered form.
Making Solid Extraction More Sustainable
It takes large quantities of plant material to produce natural extracts and essential oils, endangering many plant species, such as Indian sandalwood and rosewood, due to overharvesting. The perfumery industry is increasingly turning to biotechnology to create more responsible fragrances that protect the earth’s biodiversity.
German chemical manufacturer, Symrise, is one company producing sustainable scent extracts from byproducts of natural forestry and food production feedstocks. Symrise’s cyclical approach involves using waste products, such as crude sulfate turpentine from pine trees or orange peels from orange pulping factories, to produce flavors and fragrances.
Terpenes as Fragrancing Ingredients
Terpenes are natural compounds that give plants unique scents and are the main ingredients in pure essential oils and natural fragrance extracts. Studies have also shown that terpenes have a bioactive effect on human health, displaying anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Many solid extracts are rich in terpenes and perfect as aromatic ingredients for cosmetics, perfume, cleaning products, candles, soaps, toothpaste, and more.
5 Terpenes Found in Solid Extracts
- Geraniol
Geraniol occurs freely in geranium and rose oil and is a popular ingredient for floral fragrances. This terpene has a sweet and subtle smell, and honeybees use it to identify nectar-bearing flowers. You can use geraniol to flavor candies and desserts, and it also boasts anti-inflammatory properties. - Pinene
This woody scent is the most abundant terpene in nature and is present in countless plant species, including coriander, oregano, eucalyptus, and most notably, pine trees. Both alpha-pinene and beta-pinene are bronchodilators – opening your airways and relaxing your lungs to help you breathe better. - Camphene
Natural camphene comes from camphor oil and is also found in spruce, pine, and juniper extract. It has a potent herbal aroma and is a common ingredient in insect-repellent creams and citronella candles. It also has soothing properties, relieves congestion, and calms the mind, according to many traditional medicine systems. - Linalool
This terpene has a sweet, floral, and slightly spicy aroma and is found in over 200 plants and their extracts. Lavender extract is rich in linalool and adds a calming scent to aromatherapy products, soap, and cosmetics. - Limonene
This fresh-scented terpene is present in citrus extracts and fruits, including orange, lemon, and neroli. Ongoing studies suggest that it may have antimicrobial and immune-boosting effects and is a popular ingredient in food, beverages, and cosmetics.
Solid extraction helps us isolate flavor and fragrance compounds that boost the scent and taste of many foods, beverages, cosmetics, and household products. We can use byproducts from natural feedstocks, such as fruit peels, wood shavings, and other plant matter, as raw materials for creating more sustainable natural extracts. Advanced Biotech is a leading supplier of extracts, essential oils, and isolates for the food, beverage, and cosmetics industries. Please contact us for more information.
1 https://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/5649284/plant-extracts-global-market-report-2022