Application of supercritical fluids technology to food materials such as carotenoids

Supercritical fluids have been extensively utilized in food-related material processing, including coffee decaffeination and hop extraction for beer production. The fundamental properties of subcritical and supercritical fluids are briefly outlined. The solubility of solutes in supercritical fluids is a critical property in separation processes. This review examines the extraction processes using supercritical carbon dioxide from solid feed materials. Additionally, the fractionation of liquid mixtures, such as the separation of lipids and essential oils, is an important area in the food industry. In the case of carotenoid extraction, the low solubility in supercritical CO2 poses a challenge. To address this, isomerization of carotenoids has been employed to enhance their solubility and physical properties. Furthermore, supercritical carbon dioxide has been applied for the production of fine particles from natural materials, such as carotenoids.