Ultrasound extraction, what is it and how does it work?
Table of Contents
Ultrasound extraction is a process that allows the extraction of the active ingredients contained in the plant by exploiting the mechanical action of ultrasound on the plant walls.
Extraction with ultrasound is an innovative, clean, easy and rapid extraction technique, which allows you to extract the active ingredients from vegetables and medicinal plants in particular and to create quality phytoextracts , exploiting the exclusively mechanical action exerted by the cavitation effect produced by sound waves.
Ultrasound extraction, why is it considered BIO?
This extraction technique also has the advantage of being able to receive Bio accreditation, as this extraction is a physical process only in which no chemicals are used or added .
In fact, natural solvents (oil, water and alcohol ) are used, regardless of the solubility of the active ingredients.
What are the advantages of ultrasonic extraction?
According to numerous researchers, the ultrasonic extraction technique, due to its versatility, is destined to play an important role in the future of extraction technologies .
Ultrasonic extraction is defined as more functional than the classic hydroalcoholic extraction because:
- Very satisfactory yields are obtained in terms of active ingredients since there is an almost total exhaustion of the vegetable .
- Significant reduction in production times since the ultrasounds breaking the cell walls decrease the transfer times of the active ingredients from the plant material to the solvent.
- Furthermore, as previously mentioned, it is a much more ” green ” extraction technique which has been awarded the Bio accreditation as this extraction is a physical process only in which no chemicals are used or added .
- Full spectrum extracts are obtained.
- L’water , as a solvent, is particularly compatible and favorable to this extraction process as conveys in a way elective ultrasound ad act on the plant matrix ; In this way, the maximum extraction effect is obtained and extracts from the almost complete biochemical spectrum similar to that present in the inside of the processed vegetable raw material, whether fresh or dried
- The rapidity of extraction drastically reduces oxidative and fermentation phenomena
- Lowers the bacterial load as cavitation leads to the lysis of cell membranes by microorganisms making the product hygienically compliant
How does the ultrasonic extraction work?
The extraction is carried out thanks to the creation of stretching forces that cause the disintegration and mechanical rupture of the cell walls, favoring the escape of the material from the cytoplasm.
Furthermore, the reduction of the particles significantly increases the solid / liquid contact surface and the mechanical action performed by the ultrasounds increases the diffusion of the solvent in the tissues and breaks the cell walls due to cavitation and stretching.
The mechanical effects of cavitation induced by ultrasounds, such as heat and pressure differentials, shock waves, shear forces, liquid jets and micro-flow, in fact intensify the penetration of the solvent into the cell and improve the mass transfer between the cell and the solvent so that the intercellular materials are transferred into the solvent.
The use of ultrasound allows the total extraction of all the active ingredients contained in the plant (whether they are water-soluble, fat-soluble, essential oils, mineral salts, amino acids, trace elements or vitamins) without the use of heat or solvents , so as to preserve the integrity of the phytocomplex which is entirely transferred to the water.
Alcohol-free mother tincture
Thanks to the innovative ultrasonic extraction process, it has been made possible to produce non-alcoholic mother tinctures and extracts, using other natural solvents together with water (such as glycerin)
The mother tincture with glycerin (and therefore, without alcohol) is an innovative type of mother tincture, which having been obtained with the ultrasonic process, makes it better from different points of view.
We at Vonderweid, thanks to our twenty years of experience in the field of food supplements and after a long process of research and development in our laboratories for the production of non- alcoholic mother tinctures , we have been able to obtain a product with the desired characteristics.
Our non-alcoholic mother tinctures are classified as Food Supplements and are regularly notified to the Ministry of Health .
