Why You Should Care the Oil Extraction Methods - A Comprehensive Guide about Supercritical CO2 Extraction Vs. Cold-Pressed
Extraction of oil from any oil-producing plant such as fruit or seed provides more nutrients than consuming the fruit before the extraction. The oils are usually much more concentrated and highly potent. The antioxidants properties of these fruits and the beneficial nutrients make them highly effective when compressed and extracted in liquid form.
Extraction has provided lots of benefits for many years, but there is a common belief that the cold-pressed method is the best method of extraction when it isn’t.
Extractions Methods Do Matter
Extraction methods are of different types. Some procedures produce oils with high-quality, while some do not.
The two most common, environmentally friendly, and effective extraction methods are the supercritical CO2 and cold-pressed extraction. Both extraction methods are popular procedures in different industries, but one of these methods is better because of its benefits.
The nature of the product in question also affects the choice of extraction. For instance, cosmetics and other beauty products require fragile oil types.
What Is “Cold-Pressed”?
One of the best methods of getting highly potent juice from vegetables and fruit is the cold-pressed extraction method. This method might, however, cause damages because of how the system is structured.
In the cold-pressed extraction, plants, fruits, or seeds are crushed with a large screw to extract oils. During this process, the oils are exposed to oxygen molecules. With this, the oils could lose their quality, and their shelf-life becomes reduced.
Contrary to its name, the cold-pressed extraction method may also involve using heat as the friction of the machine for pressing raises the temperature. Such a process can adversely affect heat-sensitive oils and further reduce its shelf-life.
As a result, it’s highly depending on the inherent nature of the oil itself, when dealing with oxygen sensitive oils, cold-press may not be the best extraction method.
Supercritical CO2 Extraction
This form of extraction method is an entirely closed system where the CO2 gas and fluid pressure are used to compress the raw materials. The extraction process doesn’t expose the oil to oxygen like the cold-pressed process.
The process involves some low heating, but it also allows cooling to occur before extracting the liquid. The supercritical CO2 extraction produces nutrients that provide lots of benefits. Examples of these beneficial nutrients are flavonoids (found in the rosehip seeds and fruits) and beta carotene (found in carrots).
The extracted liquid will be 100% purely concentrated in the end product and retain all its natural benefits, including keeping the best color, and the shelf-life is prolonged. The liquid produced only has a little different from the fresh one.
Why We Use CO2 extraction for Certain Ingredients
In summary, the prominent benefits of supercritical CO2 extraction in cosmetics are:
- The use of a natural byproduct of humans (CO2) for medical and pharmacological practices is completely safe and has no harmful effects on the environment.
- Since extractors employ low heat during the extraction process, fragile oils will be stable, with only high-quality oil extracted.
- The shelf-life is longer because the oils don’t get exposed to oxygen, and the chances of spoiling are minimal. The benefits of the products also stand the test of time.
- The process is selectively controlled, as the constituents with the highest healing properties are selected and obtained to improve effectiveness.
Generally, the demand for supercritical CO2 extraction is growing in the cosmetic industry due to its many benefits. The odor, color, and fresh flavor, and overall quality of the oil remain constant, especially when used to create an oil that is very susceptible to rancidity and oxidation. Even though other extraction methods share some similarities with the supercritical CO2, they cannot compare to this method.
The method of oil production usually affects the shelf-life and quality of the product. In the end, knowing the process involved in the production of the oil you’re using is highly essential, as this will help you stay conscious of the product's effect.
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