5 most used methods for extracting natural active ingredients for foods, beverages and supplements

Industries invest in the research and adoption of more appropriate processes to meet the growing demand for products with higher added value, which offer functional benefits for consumers’ health and well-being

The growing demand for foods, beverages and supplements that offer functional benefits for health and well-being has been driving the market for botanical extracts and their potential as natural active ingredients.

Consumer interest in products that can help them, for example, with their disposition, concentration and immunity, has driven brands to innovate with technological solutions for the development of new products with greater added value. Among the foods and beverages that stand out among consumers for the functionality they offer are energy drinks, sports drinks and fortified options, as well as bars, gummies and lozenges.

In order to meet this demand, ingredient industries invest in research, technology and better methods and processes to improve the concentration and standardization of active ingredients in natural extracts.

What are natural active extracts and what are their benefits?

Extracts are nothing more than liquid, solid, or intermediate consistency concoctions obtained from plant-based raw materials, prepared using validated methods, using ethanol, water or other products more suitable as solvents for this process. It is important to highlight that in the food industry in Brazil, solvents validated by regulatory bodies, such as Anvisa, are used.

Furthermore, the extracts are sources of specific active ingredients that are beneficial to the body, such as polyphenols, caffeine, anthocyanins and ascorbic acid (vitamin C), among others. These active ingredients contribute to consumers’ health and well-being in countless ways, such as improving cardiovascular health, strengthening immunity, gaining muscle mass and improving concentration, disposition and energy, among other benefits.

Since they are composed of molecules that perform different functions in products, they can be used in various applications in the food and nutrition industries, such as for antioxidants, antimicrobials, flavorings and much more.

Processes for obtaining natural extracts

Plants contain many active compounds such as alkaloids, steroids, tannins, glycosides, resins, phenols and flavonoids that are found in their specific parts such as leaves, flowers, bark, seeds, fruits and roots.

The complexity of these vegetable matrices, due to their composition of sugars, fats, fibers and pigments, requires specific research and planning for the extraction of each raw material.

Among the different extraction technologies and processes available on the market, there are some that stand out for the challenging task of obtaining extracts with the desired bioactive properties. These processes are scalable methods, which allow for rigorous control of the stages, such as temperature, pH and pressure, among others. As a result, they are efficient for recovering active ingredients from plant matrices and allow for the use of non-toxic solvents, such as ethanol and water.

The choice of process to be used is based on the class of active ingredients to be extracted and the physical-chemical characteristics of the matrix.

For example, thermosensitive active ingredients cannot be extracted using aggressive methods. As a result, the extraction of anthocyanins by reflux is not viable using high temperatures (above 100ºC), as they cause their degradation. In this case, the most suitable method is Maceration, as it is less aggressive.

Producing extracts from barks, stems and seeds requires more dynamic methods, with more intense pressure, temperature and agitation conditions, characteristics found in the Reflux method and the Reflux & Turbolysis method.

Learn more about the 5 most used methods for extracting natural active ingredients

1. Maceration and derivatives

This method consists of the simple contact of the chosen plant matrix with the extracting liquid for a determined time. It is recommended for obtaining extracts sensitive to thermal degradation, and when you want to maintain the plant’s sensory characteristics and not exhaust the extraction of active ingredients. This is the method used, for example, to obtain chamomile extract.

• Digestion: maceration occurs at a temperature of 40-60ºC. It is widely used to obtain fruit and vegetable extracts. Often a step with enzymatic action is part of the digestion process to obtain extracts with greater sensorial impact and for clarification (an operation that consists of clarifying cloudy liquids). This is used, for example, for obtaining açaí and cocoa extracts.

• Dynamic maceration: this occurs under mechanical agitation.

• Remaceration: two or more extraction cycles are performed using the same plant part.

• Static: the plant matrix is in contact with the solvent, for a determined time and without movement.

2. Decoction or reflux

In this method, the plant sample is in contact with the boiling solvent. It is indicated for extracting non-thermosensitive active ingredients and for the extraction from more rigid parts of plants, such as stems, roots and seeds. It is used, for example, to obtain catuaba extract.

• Pressurization: in addition to boiling, it uses pressures above atmospheric pressure.

3. Percolation

The passage of the extracting liquid through the ground plant in devices known as “percolators” that have flow, time and temperature controls optimizes the process. It is generally used for the extraction of non-thermosensitive active ingredients. Using this method, it is often possible to extract around 95% of the active ingredients contained in the plant material. This is the case with guaraná extract, for example.

• Soxhlet: the solvent is heated, and reflux occurs in the condenser, with the vapor rising to the flask and condensing in the central part of the Soxhlet. By gradually absorbing the solvent, the compound dissolves and the solid particles of the substance are extracted.
• Countercurrent: the solvent passes through the plant matrix using a cycle against gravity, from bottom to top.

4. Turbo extraction

In this method, extraction takes place with high shear forces, reducing the size of the vegetable particle and exposing it to the action of the solvent. It is a process widely used for hard seed and bark extracts.

5. Enzyme extraction

This extraction uses enzymes (such as pectinase, cellulase, amylase, etc.) that provide greater permeability of the cell wall, and thus, greater extraction yields of bioactive compounds are achieved. The process is widely used to extract active ingredients from fruits.

Combined with other extraction methods, additional steps such as physical centrifugation and filtration processes are often necessary to purify the extract and remove insoluble parts. Chemical processes can also be used, such as enzymatic treatment, with the aim of helping to remove fat and release active ingredients.

Duas Rodas Portfolio focused on natural and functional ingredients

A pioneer in the extraction of essential oils in Brazil, Duas Rodas has almost 100 years of expertise in the production of extracts from plant species.

The ingredients are produced using extraction and drying methods that allow the natural active ingredients and aromatic components to be preserved in powder, flake or solid forms, maintaining much of the nutritional composition, such as vitamins from fruits and vegetables.

Carefully prepared, Duas Rodas dehydrated  and botanical extracts meet nutritional needs and the growing demands of consumers, who value functionality, naturalness and flavor in foods and beverages.

Among the latest launches is Vitamin-Ace™, an acerola ingredient platform that includes extracts and dehydrated ingredients. Vitamin-Ace™ products are standardized with up to 40% natural vitamin C, providing this important compound for various applications, from dietary supplements to functional foods.

The trend toward diets that provide a balance between indulgence and healthiness, encompassing all aspects of well-being, has driven consumer interest in more conscious and intuitive eating.

In this context, the use of plant extracts in the development of foods and beverages ensures better, nutritionally balanced products, naturally flavored and a source of physiologically active substances.