METHOD FOR EXTRACTING VOLATILE COMPOUNDS WITH SUPERCRITICAL CARBON DIOXIDE, AND COMPOUNDS SO OBTAINED

摘要

In the method disclosed, supercritical CO2 gas is percolated through the starting material and becomes laden with extractible compounds. When the percolation pressure reaches a predetermined value, the pressure in the percolation medium is reduced by bringing said medium into a separation region where the volatile compounds are trapped in the dry ice formed. The compounds are recovered in aqueous solution after sublimation of the CO2. According to the invention, the extraction is carried out in the separation region in the presence of a trapping medium capable of retaining the volatile compounds, advantageously a medium sparingly soluble in liquid or supercritical CO2 and capable of dissolving the volatile compounds (glycerol or edible oil) or of complexing them (cyclodextrins). The starting material chosen has a lipid content which is not excessively high (in particular, fruits and derived products). The trapping medium which retains the volatile compounds and the latter, after separation from said medium, are useful as aromas.