Fruit - Dogwood /Mulberries / Elderberries /Blueberries
Fruit - Dogwood /Mulberries / Elderberries /Blueberries
Mechotech designs and manufactures turnkey natural colour extraction plants for dogwood, mulberry, elderberry and blueberry fruit. In the Mechotech catalogue, Fruit - Dogwood /Mulberries / Elderberries /Blueberries is listed in the Blue to Bluish Purple Colour group alongside Flower - Hyacinth / Cornflower, Foliage - Indigo, Inner Bark - Red Maple Tree and Leaves - Woad. The catalogue entry combines four berry fruits in one entry. Mechotech lists blueberry pomace anthocyanins on a separate page, and its red-colour article lists elderberry among anthocyanin sources; the pigment profile of the combined feed is confirmed during process development.
Mechotech’s Dogwood / Mulberry / Elderberry / Blueberry plant is configured around the raw material and the target colour extract. It is built in SS 316L with integrated solvent recovery, automation and full documentation, and is delivered as a commissioned turnkey system. Because the catalogue combines four berries, the plant is configured to process them in separate campaigns where their solvent systems differ. Final parameters are established during process development and pilot validation. Berry colours are generally pigments that change with pH, so the plant is built around gentle extraction and vacuum concentration, and the colour is checked for stability in the intended product.
Technical Specifications
| Product | Fruit - Dogwood /Mulberries / Elderberries /Blueberries Natural Colour Extraction Plant |
|---|---|
| Raw Material | dogwood, mulberry, elderberry and blueberry fruit |
| Plant Part / Feed Form | Fruit (berries; fresh, frozen or dried form confirmed with the client) |
| Colour Group | Blue to Bluish Purple Colour |
| Extract Type | Natural colour extract (liquid concentrate or dried powder, per specification) |
| Extraction Method | Closed jacketed SS 316L extraction with food-grade solvent (alcohol / aqueous), multiple cycles at controlled temperature |
| Product-contact Material | SS 316L |
| Filtration System | Plate-and-frame filter press with cartridge polish filters |
| Concentration System | Falling-film / vacuum evaporator with solvent recovery |
| Drying System | Spray or vacuum dryer |
| Automation | PLC-based |
| Plant Capacity | Configured to requirement |
| Utility Requirements | Steam, chilled/cooling water, compressed air and power (project-specific) |
| Compliance | GMP hygienic design; full documentation for qualification |
| Final Product Form | Natural colour extract (blue to bluish purple colour group) |
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 | Scale-up trials, contract manufacturing |
| Commercial | Configured to raw-material supply and confirmed buyer volume | Commercial production |
Capacity is configured to raw-material supply, confirmed buyer volume and investment timeline; a pilot plant is recommended to validate parameters before scaling.
Manufacturing Process
Raw Material Preparation
Berries are sorted, cleaned and, where the four are processed separately, kept as separate lots; fresh or frozen fruit is crushed or macerated, and dried fruit is milled, to improve solvent contact.
Extraction
The prepared dogwood, mulberry, elderberry and blueberry fruit is extracted with food-grade solvent (alcohol / aqueous) in closed jacketed SS 316L extractors at controlled temperature and over multiple cycles to recover the target colour compounds.
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 so that heat exposure of the pigment stays low.
Standardisation
The concentrate is assayed for colour strength and adjusted to the declared target specification before the final finishing step.
Drying & Quality Control
The standardised Fruit - Dogwood /Mulberries / Elderberries /Blueberries extract is spray- or vacuum-dried where a powder is required, then released after the agreed assay, residual-solvent, heavy-metal, microbial and moisture tests.
Major Plant Equipment
- Raw material cleaning and size-reduction system
- Closed jacketed SS 316L extraction vessels
- Solvent storage tanks
- Plate-and-frame filter press
- Cartridge polish filtration
- Falling-film / vacuum evaporator
- Solvent recovery unit and condensers
- Standardisation / blending vessel
- Spray or vacuum dryer
- CIP system
- Automation and instrumentation
Plant Output
Applications
- Natural colour and dye ingredient supply
- Food and beverage colour applications (subject to approval of the specific colour in each market)
- Cosmetic and personal-care colour applications
- Nutraceutical and Ayurvedic / herbal formulations
- Pharmaceutical standardised ingredient supply
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 extract against its declared target specification.
Gentle Concentration
Vacuum concentration keeps heat exposure low for temperature-sensitive colour compounds.
Scalable Batch Capacity
Plants are configured to requirement from pilot scale upward, with modular expansion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Mechotech supply the complete machinery for Fruit - Dogwood /Mulberries / Elderberries /Blueberries?
What specification can the Fruit - Dogwood /Mulberries / Elderberries /Blueberries plant achieve?
What production capacities are available for the Fruit - Dogwood /Mulberries / Elderberries /Blueberries plant?
Which raw material is processed in the Fruit - Dogwood /Mulberries / Elderberries /Blueberries plant?
How does the Fruit - Dogwood /Mulberries / Elderberries /Blueberries extraction process work?
How does this page differ from Mechotech’s other berry pages?
Which related colour pages does Mechotech list with Fruit - Dogwood /Mulberries / Elderberries /Blueberries?
What pigment do these berries give, and is the colour stable?
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