Executive Summary
A natural food colour manufacturer required a fully automated, GMP-oriented Annatto Natural Colour Extraction Plant to manufacture premium Bixin, Norbixin, and natural annatto colour formulations for the food, beverage, dairy, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and animal nutrition industries.
The customer required a turnkey facility capable of maximising pigment recovery, preserving carotenoid stability, minimising solvent and utility consumption, and consistently producing export-grade natural colours compliant with international food safety and regulatory standards.
Mechotech successfully designed, engineered, manufactured, supplied, installed, and commissioned an Annatto Natural Colour Extraction Plant integrating advanced seed preparation, solvent extraction, filtration, vacuum solvent recovery, alkaline conversion, purification, concentration, spray drying, and intelligent PLC-SCADA automation.
Customer Background
The customer manufactures natural colour ingredients for food manufacturers, beverage companies, dairy industries, bakery & confectionery companies, nutraceutical manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, cosmetic manufacturers, and international food ingredient exporters. Increasing global demand for clean-label natural colours required the customer to invest in a modern, automated extraction facility with GMP-oriented manufacturing practices.
Customer Challenges
Before modernisation, the customer experienced:
- Low pigment recovery
- Variable colour strength
- High solvent consumption
- Manual production inconsistencies
- Long extraction cycles
- High operating costs
- Pigment degradation
- Limited production capacity
- Difficulty meeting export specifications
Project Objectives
Mechotech developed a turnkey solution capable of:
- Processing 20 MT/day of Annatto Seeds
- Producing premium Bixin and Norbixin
- Maximising carotenoid recovery
- Recovering extraction solvent for reuse
- Preserving pigment stability
- Reducing energy consumption
- Documentation to support the customer's quality and regulatory qualification
- Supporting future expansion
Raw Material
- Botanical Name
- Bixa orellana
- Common Name
- Annatto
- Plant Part Used
- Seeds
- Moisture Content
- 8–12%
- Daily Processing Capacity
- 20,000 kg/day
Finished Product
Available Options
Applications
- Cheese
- Butter & Margarine
- Dairy Products
- Bakery Products
- Snacks
- Beverages
- Confectionery
- Pharmaceuticals
- Cosmetics
- Animal Feed
Process Flow
Process Description
Raw Material Preparation
Annatto seeds are cleaned to remove dust, stones, and foreign matter before being milled to optimise pigment extraction.
Solvent Extraction
Prepared seeds are processed in stainless steel extraction vessels using food-grade solvents under controlled temperature conditions.
The extraction system provides:
- Uniform extraction efficiency
- Reduced solvent losses
- Consistent batch quality
Filtration
The extract is clarified using pressure filtration systems to remove insoluble solids and improve downstream processing.
Vacuum Solvent Recovery
The filtered extract enters vacuum evaporators where solvent is recovered, condensed, purified, and recycled.
Benefits include:
- Designed for efficient operation
- Improved process safety
- Environmental sustainability
- High product purity
Bixin Concentration
The concentrated extract is standardised to produce premium oil-soluble bixin with excellent colour strength.
Norbixin Production
For water-soluble applications, bixin undergoes controlled alkaline conversion to produce premium norbixin with excellent dispersion and stability.
Purification & Standardisation
Final purification removes impurities and ensures consistent colour value, particle size, and product stability according to customer specifications.
Spray Drying / Liquid Formulation
Depending on customer requirements:
- Spray-Dried Powder
- Liquid Colour Concentrate
- Oil-Based Formulation
- Water-Based Formulation
Quality Standardisation
Each batch is analysed for:
- Bixin Content
- Norbixin Content
- Total Carotenoids
- Colour Value
- Residual Solvent
- Moisture
- Particle Size
- Heavy Metals
- Microbial Limits
- Purity
Major Equipment Supplied
- Raw Material Cleaning System
- Grinding Mill
- Stainless Steel Extraction Vessels
- Solvent Storage Tanks
- Pressure Leaf Filters
- Vacuum Evaporators
- Solvent Recovery System
- Conversion Reactors
- Purification System
- Spray Dryer
- Ribbon Blender
- Product Storage Tanks
- PLC-SCADA Automation Panel
- Electrical MCC
- Instrumentation Package
- CIP System
Automation Features
The plant incorporates intelligent automation including:
- Recipe Management
- Extraction Sequence Control
- Temperature Monitoring
- Solvent Flow Monitoring
- Vacuum Control
- Reactor Control
- Spray Dryer Automation
- Batch Traceability
- Alarm Management
- Utility Monitoring
- Production Analytics
- Remote Diagnostics
- Industry 4.0 Connectivity
GMP & Safety Features
The facility is designed with hygienic, GMP-oriented practice in view; the standards that apply to the client's facility and product are scoped per project. Features include:
- SS 316L product-contact surfaces
- Hygienic sanitary piping
- Closed-loop solvent handling
- Explosion-proof electrical systems
- Nitrogen blanketing
- Food-grade seals and gaskets
- CIP-compatible construction
- Validation-ready equipment
- GMP-oriented layout
- HACCP-oriented process engineering
Plant Utilities
- Steam Boiler
- Cooling Tower
- Chilled Water System
- Vacuum System
- Air Compressor
- Soft Water System
- Electrical Power
- Nitrogen Supply
Sustainability Features
The plant incorporates environmentally responsible engineering through:
- Closed-loop solvent recovery
- Heat recovery systems
- Water conservation
- Energy-efficient vacuum systems
- Reduced solvent emissions
- Utility optimisation
- Eco-friendly process design
- Reduced environmental footprint
Customer Benefits
Following successful commissioning, the customer achieved:
- Higher pigment recovery
- Improved product stability
- Closed-loop solvent recovery
- Designed for efficient operation
- Lower utility consumption
- Increased production capacity
- Documentation to support regulatory qualification
Plants Used In This Project
Why Mechotech?
Mechotech is a manufacturer of turnkey extraction plants for natural colours, herbal extracts, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, food ingredients, and specialty botanical products. With engineering expertise, our advanced extraction technology, solvent recovery systems, purification processes, and PLC-SCADA automation enable customers worldwide to manufacture premium natural ingredients.
Conclusion
The Annatto Natural Colour Extraction Plant from Mechotech provides a complete turnkey solution for manufacturing premium Bixin, Norbixin, and natural annatto colour formulations. By integrating advanced solvent extraction, precision purification, intelligent automation, and hygienic GMP engineering, the facility combines these process stages in a single turnkey solution.
Key Technical Highlights
- Raw Material
- Bixa orellana (Annatto Seeds)
- Finished Products
- Bixin, Norbixin, Annatto Oleoresin, Natural Food Colours
- Technology
- Solvent Extraction + Vacuum Solvent Recovery + Alkaline Conversion + Spray Drying
- Solvent Recovery
- Established during process development
- Automation
- PLC-SCADA with Industry 4.0 Integration
- Construction Material
- SS 304 / SS 316L
- Compliance
- Hygienic, GMP-oriented design with documentation to support the client's qualification; applicable standards are scoped per project
- Applications
- Food Ingredients, Dairy, Beverages, Bakery, Pharmaceuticals, Nutraceuticals, Cosmetics, Animal Feed
Why Global Manufacturers Choose Mechotech
- engineering excellence in botanical extraction and natural colour processing
- Complete turnkey execution from pilot validation to commercial production
- Customised plants from 100 kg/day pilot systems to industrial facilities
- High-efficiency extraction
- Advanced purification and standardisation technology
- Intelligent PLC-SCADA automation with complete batch traceability
- Hygienic, GMP-oriented design with documentation to support the client's qualification; applicable standards are scoped per project
- Comprehensive installation, validation, operator training, preventive maintenance, spare parts support, and lifetime technical assistance
- Extensive expertise in natural colours, herbal extracts, nutraceuticals, oleoresins, essential oils, pharmaceuticals, and food processing plants
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