Executive Summary
A manufacturer of natural ingredients required a fully automated, GMP-oriented Chlorophyll Extraction & Natural Green Colour Manufacturing Plant to produce premium Natural Chlorophyll, Sodium Copper Chlorophyllin, and standardised natural green colour formulations for food, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and personal care applications.
The customer required a turnkey facility capable of maximising chlorophyll recovery, preserving pigment stability, minimising solvent and utility consumption, and consistently manufacturing export-grade products compliant with international food safety and pharmaceutical standards.
Mechotech successfully designed, engineered, manufactured, supplied, installed, and commissioned a Chlorophyll Extraction Plant integrating advanced raw material preparation, solvent extraction, pigment purification, saponification, chlorophyllin conversion, vacuum solvent recovery, spray drying, and intelligent PLC-SCADA automation.
Customer Background
The customer manufactures natural ingredients for food ingredient manufacturers, nutraceutical companies, pharmaceutical companies, functional food producers, cosmetic manufacturers, personal care companies, beverage manufacturers, and international ingredient exporters. Growing global demand for clean-label natural green colours and botanical nutraceutical ingredients prompted investment in a modern automated manufacturing facility.
Customer Challenges
Before modernisation, the customer experienced:
- Low chlorophyll recovery
- Pigment degradation during processing
- High solvent consumption
- Manual production variability
- Long processing cycles
- High operating costs
- Poor product stability
- Limited production capacity
- Difficulty meeting export quality standards
Project Objectives
Mechotech developed a turnkey solution capable of:
- Processing 25 MT/day of Green Leaf Biomass
- Producing premium Natural Chlorophyll
- Manufacturing Sodium Copper Chlorophyllin
- Recovering extraction solvent for reuse
- Preserving pigment quality
- Reducing energy consumption
- Documentation to support the customer's quality and regulatory qualification
- Supporting future expansion
Raw Material
- Typical Botanical Sources
- Alfalfa Leaves (Medicago sativa), Spinach Leaves (Spinacia oleracea), Moringa Leaves (Moringa oleifera), Mulberry Leaves, Wheatgrass, and other chlorophyll-rich green plants
- Plant Part Used
- Fresh or Dried Green Leaves
- Moisture Content
- 10–80% (depending on feed material)
- Daily Processing Capacity
- 25,000 kg/day
Finished Product
Available Options
Applications
- Functional Foods
- Beverages
- Dietary Supplements
- Pharmaceutical Preparations
- Cosmetics
- Personal Care Products
- Oral Care Products
- Food Colouring Applications
Process Flow
Process Description
Raw Material Preparation
Fresh or dried green leaves are cleaned, inspected, dried (if required), and milled into a uniform particle size to maximise pigment extraction while preserving chlorophyll integrity.
Solvent Extraction
Prepared biomass is processed in stainless steel extraction vessels using food-grade solvents under carefully controlled operating conditions.
The extraction system provides:
- Uniform extraction efficiency
- Reduced solvent loss
- Consistent batch quality
Filtration
The crude extract is clarified using pressure filtration systems to remove insoluble plant material before concentration.
Vacuum Solvent Recovery
The filtered extract enters high-efficiency vacuum evaporators where extraction solvent is recovered, condensed, purified, and recycled.
Benefits include:
- Designed for efficient operation
- Improved process safety
- Reduced environmental impact
Chlorophyll Concentration
The extract is concentrated under vacuum at controlled temperatures to preserve natural pigment quality and antioxidant properties.
Purification
Advanced purification technology removes waxes, lipids, and other plant impurities, producing highly purified chlorophyll concentrate.
Chlorophyllin Conversion (Optional)
For water-soluble products, purified chlorophyll undergoes controlled saponification and copper complex formation to produce stable Sodium Copper Chlorophyllin.
Advantages include:
- Improved water solubility
- High colour strength
- Broad food and pharmaceutical applications
Standardisation
The final product is standardised according to customer specifications for:
- Chlorophyll Content
- Copper Chlorophyllin Content
- Colour Strength
- Solubility
- Moisture
- Particle Size
- Stability
Quality Standardisation
Finished products are analysed for:
- Total Chlorophyll
- Chlorophyll A & B
- Sodium Copper Chlorophyllin
- Residual Solvent
- Moisture
- Heavy Metals
- Microbial Limits
- Particle Size
- Colour Value
- Purity
Major Equipment Supplied
- Raw Material Cleaning System
- Dryer (Optional)
- Grinding Mill
- Stainless Steel Extraction Vessels
- Solvent Storage Tanks
- Pressure Leaf Filters
- Vacuum Evaporators
- Solvent Recovery System
- Purification Columns
- Conversion Reactors
- Spray Dryer
- Ribbon Blender
- Product Storage Tanks
- PLC-SCADA Automation Panel
- Electrical MCC
- Instrumentation Package
- CIP System
Automation Features
The plant incorporates advanced PLC-SCADA automation including:
- Automatic 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 engineering
- Sustainable manufacturing practices
Customer Benefits
Following successful commissioning, the customer achieved:
- Higher chlorophyll recovery
- Improved product consistency
- Closed-loop solvent recovery
- Reduced production costs
- Lower utility consumption
- Increased manufacturing 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 technologies, and PLC-SCADA automation enable customers worldwide to manufacture premium natural ingredients.
Conclusion
The Chlorophyll Extraction & Natural Green Colour Manufacturing Plant from Mechotech provides a complete turnkey solution for producing premium Natural Chlorophyll, Sodium Copper Chlorophyllin, and natural green colour formulations. By integrating advanced extraction technology, precision purification, intelligent automation, and hygienic GMP engineering, the facility combines these process stages in a single turnkey solution.
Key Technical Highlights
- Raw Material
- Chlorophyll-rich green leaves (Alfalfa, Spinach, Moringa, Wheatgrass, etc.)
- Finished Products
- Natural Chlorophyll, Sodium Copper Chlorophyllin, Natural Green Food Colours
- Technology
- Solvent Extraction + Vacuum Solvent Recovery + Purification + Chlorophyllin 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, Nutraceuticals, Pharmaceuticals, Cosmetics, Functional Foods, Personal Care
Why Global Manufacturers Choose Mechotech
- engineering excellence in botanical extraction, purification, and process engineering
- Complete turnkey execution from laboratory 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, essential oils, oleoresins, pharmaceuticals, food processing, and specialty botanical plants
Planning a Similar Plant?
Mechotech engineers are ready to assess your process and design the right plant for your target output.
Get a Free Consultation
