Executive Summary
A natural ingredient manufacturer required a fully automated, GMP-oriented Beetroot Natural Colour Extraction Plant to manufacture premium Betanin, Betalain Concentrates, and natural red food colour ingredients for the food, beverage, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and functional food industries.
The customer required a turnkey processing facility capable of maximising pigment recovery, preserving heat-sensitive betalains, minimising energy consumption, and consistently producing export-grade natural colour ingredients that comply with international food safety and quality standards.
Mechotech successfully designed, engineered, manufactured, supplied, installed, and commissioned a Beetroot Natural Colour Extraction Plant integrating advanced washing, slicing, aqueous extraction, enzymatic treatment (optional), membrane clarification, vacuum concentration, spray drying, and intelligent PLC-SCADA automation.
Customer Background
The customer manufactures natural colour ingredients for beverage manufacturers, dairy companies, bakery & confectionery industries, nutraceutical companies, functional food manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, cosmetic manufacturers, and global food ingredient exporters. Growing worldwide demand for clean-label natural red colours prompted the customer to establish a highly automated manufacturing facility.
Customer Challenges
Before modernisation, the customer experienced:
- Low pigment recovery
- Betalain degradation during processing
- High water consumption
- Variable product quality
- Long production cycles
- Manual process inconsistencies
- High operating costs
- Limited production capacity
- Difficulty maintaining export-quality colour specifications
Project Objectives
Mechotech developed a turnkey facility capable of:
- Processing 30 MT/day of Fresh Beetroot
- Producing premium Betanin concentrate
- Preserving natural betalains
- Minimising thermal degradation
- Reducing water and utility consumption
- Documentation to support the customer's quality and regulatory qualification
- Supporting future expansion
Raw Material
- Botanical Name
- Beta vulgaris
- Common Name
- Beetroot
- Plant Part Used
- Fresh Roots
- Moisture Content
- 75–88%
- Daily Processing Capacity
- 30,000 kg/day
Finished Product
Available Options
Applications
- Beverages
- Dairy Products
- Yogurt
- Ice Cream
- Bakery Products
- Confectionery
- Nutraceutical Supplements
- Functional Foods
- Cosmetics
- Pharmaceutical Formulations
Process Flow
Process Description
Raw Material Preparation
Fresh beetroot is thoroughly washed, sorted, peeled (if required), sliced, and crushed to increase extraction efficiency while minimising pigment oxidation.
Aqueous Extraction
Crushed beetroot is extracted using controlled aqueous extraction under low-temperature conditions to preserve natural betalains.
The extraction process provides:
- High pigment recovery
- Uniform extraction efficiency
- Reduced oxidation
- Consistent product quality
Enzymatic Treatment (Optional)
Food-grade enzymes may be incorporated to improve juice yield, pigment release, and filtration efficiency.
Benefits include:
- Increased extraction yield
- Lower viscosity
- Improved clarification
- Reduced processing time
Membrane Clarification
The extract passes through microfiltration and ultrafiltration systems to remove suspended solids while preserving valuable pigments.
Advantages include:
- Low-temperature processing
- Better colour stability
- Reduced product losses
Vacuum Concentration
The clarified extract is concentrated under vacuum at low temperatures to preserve the natural colour compounds and nutritional value.
Standardisation
The concentrate is standardised according to customer requirements for:
- Betanin concentration
- Colour intensity
- Soluble solids
- pH
- Stability
Spray Drying / Liquid Formulation
Depending on customer requirements, the product is supplied as:
- Spray-Dried Powder
- Liquid Concentrate
- Customised Colour Blends
Quality Standardisation
Finished products are analysed for:
- Betanin Content
- Total Betalains
- Colour Value
- Moisture
- pH
- Total Soluble Solids
- Heavy Metals
- Microbial Limits
- Particle Size
- Purity
Major Equipment Supplied
- Raw Material Washing System
- Sorting Conveyor
- Root Slicer
- Crusher
- Extraction Tanks
- Enzymatic Treatment Tanks (Optional)
- Microfiltration System
- Ultrafiltration System
- Vacuum Evaporator
- Spray Dryer
- Ribbon Blender
- Liquid Storage Tanks
- PLC-SCADA Automation Panel
- Electrical MCC
- Instrumentation Package
- CIP System
Automation Features
The plant incorporates advanced PLC-SCADA automation featuring:
- Automatic Recipe Management
- Extraction Temperature Control
- pH Monitoring
- Flow Monitoring
- Membrane Performance Monitoring
- Vacuum 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
- CIP & SIP compatible systems
- Automated cleaning programs
- Food-grade elastomers
- Dead-leg-free piping
- Validation-ready equipment
- GMP-oriented layout
- HACCP-oriented process engineering
Plant Utilities
- Steam Boiler
- Chilled Water System
- Cooling Tower
- RO Water System
- Air Compressor
- Soft Water System
- Electrical Power
- Instrument Air
Sustainability Features
The plant incorporates environmentally responsible engineering through:
- Low-temperature processing
- Water recycling systems
- Energy-efficient membrane filtration
- Heat recovery integration
- Reduced wastewater generation
- Utility optimisation
- Eco-friendly processing technology
- Sustainable manufacturing practices
Customer Benefits
Following successful commissioning, the customer achieved:
- Higher betanin recovery
- Improved pigment stability
- Better product consistency
- Reduced water consumption
- Designed for efficient operation
- Increased production capacity
- Enhanced automation and traceability
- Better global competitiveness
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 aqueous extraction systems, membrane technologies, low-temperature concentration processes, and PLC-SCADA automation enable customers worldwide to manufacture premium natural colour ingredients.
Conclusion
The Beetroot Natural Colour Extraction Plant from Mechotech provides a complete turnkey solution for producing premium Betanin, Betalain concentrates, and natural red food colours. By integrating advanced aqueous extraction, membrane clarification, intelligent automation, and hygienic GMP engineering, the facility combines these process stages in a single turnkey solution.
Key Technical Highlights
- Raw Material
- Beta vulgaris (Beetroot)
- Finished Products
- Betanin Extract, Betalain Concentrate, Spray-Dried Beetroot Powder, Natural Red Food Colour
- Technology
- Aqueous Extraction + Membrane Clarification + Vacuum Concentration + Spray Drying
- 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, Beverages, Dairy, Bakery, Nutraceuticals, Pharmaceuticals, Cosmetics
Why Global Manufacturers Choose Mechotech
- engineering excellence in botanical extraction and natural ingredient processing
- Complete turnkey execution from laboratory validation to commercial production
- Customised plants from 500 kg/day pilot systems to industrial facilities
- Advanced low-temperature extraction and membrane separation 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, essential oils, pharmaceuticals, and food processing plants
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