Suprex Corporation proposes to develop and optimize supercritical fluid technology for application to extraction and characterization of food colorants and additives. Phase I research has shown that an supercritical fluid extractive process for producing natural colorants is technically feasible and could provide the necessary impetus to commercially produce natural colorants in increased volumes and purity. Supercritical fluid technology substitutes compressed gases, at pressures and temperatures above their thermodynamic critical points, for liquid phase solvents. In this physical state, compressed gases have the solubility properties of liquids but retain mass transfer and diffusion properties of a gas. The use of carbon dioxide as a supercritical fluid solvent reduces the need for processing with potentially hazardous hydrocarbon solvents. In Phase II, we proposed to build a technical base of information on the phase equilibria, mass transfer, and extraction rate process of the natural colorant separations, This data would be used in the scale-up of the process in Phase III of the development program to ultimately produce natural colorants on a commercial basis. We also proposed to developing SFC applications technology in the areas of natural colorants, food emulsifiers and stabilizers, antioxidents, waxes, and adulterants.
