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Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE) is the process of separating one component (the extractant) from another (the matrix) using supercritical fluids as the extracting solvent. Extraction is usually from a solid matrix, but can also be from liquids. Supercritical fluids have been used as solvents for a wide variety of applications such as essential oil extraction and metal cation extraction.

Practically, more than 90% of all analytical supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) is performed with carbon dioxide (CO2) for several practice reasons. Apart from having relatively low critical pressure (74 bars) and temperature (32Co), CO2 is relatively non-toxic, nonflammable, noncorrosive, safe.

The supercritical extraction process operates at temperatures between 95 to 100 degrees F whereas steam distillation operates at temperatures between 140 to 212 degrees F. The CO2 extraction process might thus produce higher quality oils that have not been altered by the application of high heat, unlike the steam distillation process. In CO2 extraction, none of the constituents of the oil are damaged by heat.

In steam distillation, the molecular composition of both the plant matter and the essential oil are changed due to the temperature applied. On the other hand, a CO2 extract is closer in chemical composition to the original plant from which it is derived, as it contains a wider range of the plant’s constituents.

This is the reason, CO2 extracts are usually thicker than their essential oil counterparts and often give off more of the aroma of the natural herb, spice, or plant than a distilled essential oil. CO2 extracts have been said to contain more plant constituents than the amount extracted from the same plant using steam distillation.

In terms of application, Essential oils derived from the supercritical CO2 extraction of herbs are similar to the oils produced through distillation in that they can be used in aromatherapy and natural perfumery. Also, oils processed through Supercritical Process are more in demand in Flavor Industry than those driven from Steam Distillation.

Ayuroma Centre is and pioneer in the world in Essential Oils extracted through CO2 Supercritical process, and have been doing it professionally and in commercial quantities for the world. We are exporting our Supercritically Co2 distilled Essential Oils to 40+ countries at the time of writing this blog.

Thank you and we will be happy to help you understand the Co2 oil in more detail and will help you if any of the Co2 oils needed from our end.