We at Nutralife Wellness™ are trusting in CO2 extraction as the most beneficial method for our customers and hemp oil extract products. For us, it’s really all about that we provide our customers with the safest quality hemp oil extract products. Therefore we are working with an advanced hemp oil extract manufacturing laboratory. They are specialized in Supercritical Fluid Extraction/CO2 Extraction. Every extract is tested and it’s content standardized. Guaranteeing a consistent and safe hemp oil extract.
Our passion for hemp oil also comes from a deep belief in all-natural supplements being the best for our organisms. We would not choose any other extraction method besides CO2 for our full spectrum hemp oil products. It’s the only method being environmentally friendly and sustainable. That is something that really matters to us at Nutralife. We took great care setting our whole hemp extract production line to be environment-friendly.
The raw material used in the extraction is from certified industrial organic hemp plants. These are naturally free of pesticides and herbicides and are also non-GMO. All our extracts are tested and accredited by a third-party laboratory. Ensuring our hemp oils extract quality, consistency, and safety.
What is CO2 hemp oil extraction?
In this special process, supercritical CO2 (carbon dioxide) gas is used in natural product extraction. The process is called high-pressure extraction but is also known under the name SFE (Supercritical Fluid Extraction). It offers the possibility to separate materials from each other selectively and with great care.
CO2 extraction basically means, extracting certain substances from a raw material using carbon dioxide. Not only hemp oil extract but also Caffeine and flavorings are extracted with this method. Pharmaceutical, chemical, and food industries use it. This method was first used in the decaffeination of coffee. To specifically filter out caffeine, without affecting other components.
The supercritical CO2 hemp oil extraction process
Before the supercritical CO2 Extraction process the plant material should be largely freed from moisture. That is needed in order to avoid the formation of carbon dioxide, which is formed when CO2 and water connect.
CO2 is often used for the SFE. The critical point is reached at a temperature of 87,8°F/31°C under a pressure of 74 bar. Working just above room temperature is the ideal heat to work on the plant material. In the case of heat-sensitive substances and plant products, this method is advantageous. The CO2 evaporates completely after the extraction and can then be used again as the solvent in a closed circuit.
In the first step, liquid carbon dioxide is pumped from the reservoir into the extraction chamber to reach the critical pressure. When the gas is heated above the critical point it goes into the supercritical state. Here it is no longer possible to distinguish whether it is gaseous or liquid. The reason is that supercritical fluids have a higher density than a liquid and a lower viscosity than a gas. The solvent rises by an order of magnitude when it’s brought to the critical temperature.
The CO2 in its supercritical state hits the plant material when it’s pumped under high pressure into the extraction chamber. Now the carbon dioxide starts to dissolve cannabinoids, terpenes, and other substances from the plant material. To separate the CO2 from the solutes, the mixture is passed into the separation chamber. As part of the second step, the conditions are changed so that the now gaseous CO2 is separated from the extract. It is then re-liquefied in the condenser to return it to the reservoir, and so back into the circuit. The collected extract can then be removed and further processed.
The full spectrum of plant substances (phytocannabinoids, flavonoids, terpenes, essential oil) is preserved through the gentle extraction process. The CO2 extracts are standardized by content. Guaranteeing a consistent and safe hemp oil extract.
Summarized and simply put:
Basically, supercritical CO2 extraction requires two steps:
- Dissolving the desired substances from the plant
- Separation of the extract from the solvent
CO2 liquid is compressed to the extraction pressure by a pump and then passed through a heat exchanger into the extractor. The extracted substances in the CO2 dissolve on the way through the extractor and are then transported to the separator. By changing the pressure and/or temperature, the hemp extract separates.
Pros and cons of the supercritical CO2 extraction
The use of CO2 as an extractant is very environment-friendly. It is by-produced in the industry, can be reused, and saves energy by using only low temperatures.
The extraction procedure with CO2 has the advantage that the entire plant substance spectrum of the hemp plant is preserved. The phytocannabinoids, flavonoids, terpenes, chlorophyll, unsaturated fatty acids, minerals, and many vitamins are retained in the final extract. The use of highly critical CO2 makes it possible to produce a clean extract from raw materials and preserve all the compounds. Being harmless to both nature and humans.
CO2 extractant is non-flammable, unlike some other solvents. It also has antimicrobial properties and dissolves completely from the extract. The procedure is classified as “generally recognized as safe”, and harmless by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Conclusion
Gentle decarboxylation is the best method to obtain hemp extract. This method preserves many of the plant’s active molecules and is environmentally friendly and sustainable. This method allows a hemp oil extract whose chemical composition is as close as possible to that of a living plant. The CO2 extraction allows a safe hemp oil extract of high quality with all its beneficial properties intact. It’s the most advanced and sufficient method to gain hemp extract. In the hemp oil extract industry, CO2 extraction is well established as the best and most used method.