The standard method to analyze the fat content in food products uses a large quantity of organic solvent. Elimination of this solvent consumption is possible through a method employing supercritical carbon dioxide in place of the non-polar solvent that’s typically used, and this is well-known in scientific literature. 1, 2, 3, 4
The repetitive nature of this analysis lends itself well to method automation. Recognizing this need, Supercritical Fluid Technologies Inc. has introduced the SFT-130A for a fully automated extraction of fat in food products. It provides an easy and more environmentally gravimetric analysis of fat in food products.
The typical supercritical fluid extraction parameters for wide variety of types of food products range from 80 to100C and 6000 to 7500 psi sc-CO2. These conditions apply to such products as dietetic milk powder (DDP), full cream milk powder, vitamin enriched (IMP), demineralized whey powder (DWP), infant formula, (BFF), milk chocolate (MCL), powder for beverage (PBA), instant beef gravy (BSI), aromatized soluble coffee (KTA) and asparagus soup powder. Sometime a small amount of co-solvent will be added to ensure complete extraction. sc-CO2 yields statistically comparable results to the more solvent intensive testing methods.5
The SFT-130A SFE provides these capabilities in an automated, easy to use extraction system for a modest investment. It offers interchangeable vessel inserts to accommodate various sample amounts (100 ml to 1000 ml), and direct-contact vessel heaters and an integrated pre-heater for rapid warm up and precise temperature control. A thermocouple though the vessel wall into vessel interior provides precise measurement of fluid temperature. CO2 is delivered with a robust, high performance, pump that boosts liquid CO2 from tank pressure up to 10,000 psi (68.9 MPa) at flow rates up to 50 ml/min.
1. Supercritical Fluids and the Food Industry, N.L. Rozzi, R.K. Singh, Food Science and Food Safety Volume 1, Issue 1 p. 33-44
2. Applications and opportunities of supercritical fluid extraction in food processing technologies: A review: Abdul Majid, Abdul Rahman Phull, Aamir Hassan Khaskheli, Sanaullah Abbasi, Muzaffar Hussain Sirohi, Israr Ahmed, Safdar Hussain Ujjan, Imdad Ali Jokhio, Waqar Ahmed. International Journal of Advanced and Applied Sciences, 6(7) 2019, Pages: 99-103
3. Perspectives on supercritical fluid processing of fats and oils, Feral Temelli, The Journal of Supercritical Fluids Volume 47, Issue 3, January 2009, Pages 583-590
4. Extraction of Fat from Ground Beef for Nutrient Analysis Using Analytical Supercritical Fluid Extraction Jerry W. King, Fred J. Eller, Janet M. Snyder, James H. Johnson, Floyd K. McKeith, and Charles R. Stites J. Agric. Food Chem. 1996, 44, 9, 2700–2704.
5. Supercritical CO2 Extraction for Total Fat Analysis of Food Products, F. Dionisi, B. Hug, J. M. Aeschlimann, and A. Houllemar. JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE—Volume 64, No. 4, 1999
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Supercritical Fluid Technologies develops innovative solutions for demanding separation and material processing needs. With nearly two decades of experience, SFT provides cutting-edge equipment and custom solutions for high quality separations and processing. SFT collaborates with Fortune 500 businesses, major universities, government research centers and smaller specialized organizations worldwide to advance research in supercritical fluid separation, reaction chemistry and high-pressure applications.