Supercritical Fluid Extraction of Functional Ingredients From Plants: A Review

Compounds extracted from plants with biological activity are the subject of interest for their role in the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries. Extraction of these compounds has been traditionally done using conventional methods using organic solvents and applying stringent conditions such as high temperatures resulting in the decrease of yield and purity. Developing alternative ecofriendly extraction techniques with better selectivity and efficiency are highly desired. In the past decade supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) technique has gained lot of attention in isolation of bioactive compounds from plants. The present review focus on the principles of supercritical fluid extraction technique and recent developments in the extraction of functional ingredients from plants. Fundamental concepts emphasising the procedures needed for the supercritical extraction of bioactive compounds from plants have been discussed along with its applications, advantages and disadvantages. Based on the extraction capabilities and many advantages of SFE, this technology is likely to be a highly beneficial and useful for extraction of compounds from plant products.