Optimized Supercritical Fluid Extraction of Capsaicinoids from the Capsicum annuum Cultivar (Red Pepper)

The relationship between supercritical CO₂ extraction solubility parameters and the specific surface area of pretreated capsicum annuum cultivar will be examined in order to obtain the optimum extraction efficiency for the major capsaicinoids including capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin, and nordihydrocapsaicin. Linearly increasing the solubility parameter pressure of supercritical CO₂ isothermally, increases solvent density and subsequently solvent power leading to increased solubility of non-polar capsaicinoid molecules and greater extraction efficiency from the raw cultivar. However, in the target extraction zone, linearly increasing the solubility parameter temperature, to take advantage of capsaicinoid phase change, has a net positive improvement in extraction efficiency at the expense of supercritical fluid density. Diffusion and transfer to the bulk solvent phase is increased but not nearly to the degree that specific surface area through cultivar pretreatment facilitates extraction efficiency. Increasing cultivar specific surface area through milling pretreatment yields an increase in capsaicinoid extraction efficiency via supercritical CO₂ as long as mass transfer is not impeded by high levels of tortuosity. Product and process cost efficiency of commercial extraction is a key economic element in the value chain of natural substance production from not only capsicum annuum cultivars but a wide range of agricultural products found globally.