{"id":180816,"date":"2025-07-08T12:10:18","date_gmt":"2025-07-08T10:10:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ainia.com\/?p=180816"},"modified":"2025-07-08T13:05:46","modified_gmt":"2025-07-08T11:05:46","slug":"discover-the-main-food-applications-of-supercritical-fluids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ainia.com\/en\/ainia-news\/discover-the-main-food-applications-of-supercritical-fluids\/","title":{"rendered":"Discover the main food applications of supercritical fluids"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Given the inherent advantages of this technology, it\u2019s evident to see the high potential of supercritical fluids<\/strong> in the food sector. Among its applications for the industry are extractive processes, fractionation processes, or processes for the removal of unwanted compounds (dearomatization and decontamination). Below, we summarise the most significant ones.<\/p>\n

Advantages associated with supercritical carbon dioxide treatment processes for food processing<\/h2>\n

Food product manufacturing typically involves a separation stage to recover the components of interest from a complex mixture in which they are present. At times, separation treatments are required to eliminate compounds that are not desired in the food, such as fatty compounds or contaminants like pesticides.<\/p>\n

Many times, these separation stages use organic solvents. However, due to the associated handling inconveniences, legislation is progressively limiting their use in food processing, as well as the maximum tolerable thresholds in the final products.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, extraction using organic solvents often involves high temperatures, which can degrade certain active ingredients. It also requires subsequent conditioning and purification stages of the extracts obtained or the treated material to remove residues of the solvent used.<\/p>\n

Given these considerations, the application of supercritical carbon dioxide<\/strong><\/a> can be a suitable alternative due to advantages such as its high availability, low cost, non-toxicity, non-flammability, or non-explosiveness. Both the extract and the starting matrix are free from solvent residues, and the process avoids severe temperature conditions.<\/p>\n

Types of food applications and examples<\/h2>\n

Given the aforementioned inherent advantages, it\u2019s evident to recognize the high potential of supercritical fluids in the food sector<\/strong>. Among its applications for the sector are extractive processes, fractionation processes, or processes for the removal of unwanted compounds (dearomatization and decontamination).<\/p>\n

Examples of food applications, some of which will be discussed in depth later in this blog, would include the following batch extraction processes:<\/p>\n