Black Currant
Black Currant
Mechotech designs and manufactures turnkey floral concrete & absolute extraction plants for Black Currant (Ribes nigrum). We supply the complete machinery to process Black Currant into an extract configured to the client’s target specification for the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, food, and fragrance industries. Black currant buds (Ribes nigrum) are valued in the fragrance and flavour industry for a rich, fruity, slightly woody aroma; the floral concrete route captures this aroma as a concentrated extract for perfumery and cosmetics.
Mechotech's Black Currant plant is configured around the specific chemistry and processing requirements of Black Currant. Built in SS 316L with integrated solvent recovery, automation, and full documentation, each plant is delivered as a commissioned turnkey system.
Technical Specifications
| Product | Black Currant Extraction Plant |
|---|---|
| Process Category | Floral Concrete & Absolute Extraction Plants |
| Botanical Name | Ribes nigrum |
| Plant Part | Buds |
| Extract Type | Concrete and absolute (floral concrete & absolute category product) |
| Extraction Method | Food-grade solvent (alcohol / aqueous) extraction in closed, jacketed SS 316L extractors |
| Product-contact Material | SS 316L, electropolished, CIP-cleanable |
| Filtration System | Plate-and-frame filter press with cartridge polish filtration |
| Concentration System | Falling-film / vacuum evaporator with closed-loop solvent recovery |
| Utility Requirements | Steam, chilled/cooling water, vacuum, compressed air, soft water, power (project-specific) |
| Automation | PLC-based automation |
| Plant Capacity | Configured to requirement |
| Compliance | GMP hygienic design; full documentation for qualification |
| Final Product Form | Absolute (concrete as intermediate) — final form confirmed to the project specification |
Plant Capacities
| Plant Scale | Raw Material Throughput | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|
| Pilot | Configured to your feedstock and trial plan | Product development, parameter validation |
| Semi-Commercial | Configured between pilot and commercial scale | Contract manufacturing, scale-up trials |
| Commercial | Configured to raw-material supply and confirmed buyer volume | Commercial production at confirmed buyer volume |
Capacity is configured to raw-material supply and confirmed buyer volume; we recommend a pilot plant to validate process parameters before scaling.
Manufacturing Process
Raw Material Preparation
Black Currant raw material is authenticated, tested for moisture, and prepared (size-reduced where required) to maximise solvent contact before extraction.
Extraction
Milled Black Currant is extracted with food-grade solvent (alcohol / aqueous) in closed jacketed SS 316L extractors under controlled temperature and multiple cycles to maximise recovery of the target actives.
Filtration
The extract (miscella) is clarified through a plate-and-frame filter press followed by cartridge polish filters.
Concentration & Solvent Recovery
The miscella is concentrated in a falling-film / vacuum evaporator, with solvent recovered through the condenser return system, leaving a concentrate (concrete) that carries the aromatic compounds together with natural waxes.
Absolute Recovery & Purification
The concentrate undergoes controlled alcohol extraction and low-temperature vacuum processing to separate the aromatic compounds from natural waxes, followed by purification and fine filtration.
Quality Control & Release
The standardised Black Currant absolute is released after assay, residual-solvent, heavy-metal, microbial, and moisture testing.
Major Plant Equipment
- Raw material authentication, cleaning and moisture testing
- Mill (size reduction)
- Jacketed SS 316L extraction vessels
- Plate-and-frame filter press
- Cartridge polish filters
- Falling-film / vacuum evaporator
- Closed-loop solvent recovery system (condenser return)
- Concrete processing and absolute recovery units
- Purification and fine-filtration units
- Nitrogen blanketing system
- CIP (clean-in-place) system
- PLC-based automation panel
Plant Output
From Plant to Product
Black Currant Extract
This botanical is also in the product range of Sureka Life Sciences, our sister concern in botanical ingredients.
Applications
- Perfumery
- Fragrance and flavour
- Cosmetics
Key Features
SS 316L Construction
Electropolished SS 316L product-contact surfaces with CIP operation between batches.
Closed-Loop Solvent Recovery
Integrated condenser-return recovery reuses solvent between batches and reduces solvent loss.
Standardised to Specification
In-process and batch-release assay are used to check the finished Black Currant extract against its declared specification.
Scalable Batch Capacity
Plants are configured to requirement from pilot scale upward, with modular expansion.
Concentrate Finishing & Quality Control
Concentration and finishing are configured for a solvent-extracted aromatic concentrate rather than a spray-dried powder, with batch-release testing and certificate-of-analysis documentation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Mechotech supply the complete machinery for Black Currant?
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What production capacities are available for the Black Currant plant?
Which industries use the Black Currant plant?
How is Black Currant produced in Mechotech's extraction plant?
What is Black Currant and what is its botanical source?
Has Mechotech delivered a concrete-to-absolute extraction plant?
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