Solvent Extraction

HOME – Solvent Extraction

Solvent Extraction

Some plants, oil seeds, nuts, and flowers do not have enough volatile oil inside them. This means they cannot be squeezed in the expression method. Their natural parts are also very soft and fragile. They cannot handle the high heat used in steam distillation. When strong steam touches them, it acts like fire. It ruins the natural nutrients and makes them disappear very quickly. Because of this, most of the good parts evaporate, and only waste is left behind.

To protect these gentle plants and still get their oils, we use a method called Solvent Extraction. In this method, we use a special liquid called Hexane, which helps pull the oil out safely. This liquid can reach the tiny oil that heat or pressure cannot remove.

The oil mixes with the solvent first, and then later we separate the solvent from the oil. The solvent goes away, and we are left with the pure natural oil.

A simple flow chart can show how this whole process works step by step.

This method keeps the important nutrients safe and does not damage them. It also gives more oil compared to other methods. So, both the quality and the quantity of the oil are better when we use solvent extraction.