Glycyrrhiza Glabra Extract
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Extract
Purity Levels
5% to 25% Glycyrrhizin by HPLC
Mechotech designs and manufactures turnkey herbal extraction plants for Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) root, standardised to 5% to 25% Glycyrrhizin by HPLC. We supply the complete machinery — root washing and milling, hydro-alcoholic extraction, membrane/filter clarification, vacuum concentration, closed-loop solvent recovery and drying — to convert dried Licorice root into a consistent, glycyrrhizin-standardised extract for the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, food, flavour, and cosmetic industries.
Mechotech's Licorice plant is engineered around the specific chemistry of Glycyrrhiza glabra root: controlled hydro-alcoholic extraction recovers the triterpenoid saponin glycyrrhizin alongside flavonoids such as liquiritin, isoliquiritigenin, and glabridin, while membrane or fine-filter clarification manages the root's natural mucilage and pectin load ahead of concentration. The same core process line can be configured to produce a deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) fraction for digestive-health applications where reduced glycyrrhizin content is required. Built in SS 316L with electropolished product-contact surfaces, PLC-SCADA automation and full batch documentation, each plant is delivered as a commissioned turnkey system engineered to the declared Glycyrrhizin By HPLC specification.
Technical Specifications
| Product | Licorice (Glycyrrhiza Glabra) Extraction Plant |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | Glycyrrhiza glabra |
| Raw Material | Dried Licorice roots |
| Plant Part | Root |
| Extract Type | Standardised dry extract (powder); DGL fraction optional |
| Standardisation | 5% to 25% Glycyrrhizin by HPLC |
| Extraction Method | Hydro-alcoholic / aqueous solvent extraction (closed, jacketed SS 316L extractors) |
| Product-contact Material | SS 316L, electropolished, CIP-cleanable |
| Filtration System | Plate-and-frame filter press with membrane/cartridge polish filtration |
| Concentration System | Falling-film / vacuum evaporator with closed-loop solvent recovery |
| Drying System | Spray dryer or vacuum tray dryer |
| Automation | PLC-SCADA with recipe management, batch traceability and production reporting |
| Plant Capacity | Configured to requirement — pilot to commercial scale |
| Utility Requirements | Steam, chilled/cooling water, compressed air, soft water, nitrogen, power (project-specific) |
| Compliance | GMP, HACCP hygienic design; full documentation for qualification |
| Final Product Form | Free-flowing standardised extract powder |
Plant Capacities
| Plant Scale | Root 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 | Export-grade continuous production |
Capacity is configured to raw-material supply and confirmed buyer volume; we recommend a pilot plant to validate parameters before scaling.
Manufacturing Process
Root Cleaning & Size Reduction
Dried Licorice roots are cleaned of soil and foreign matter, then mechanically reduced to a uniform particle size to maximise solvent contact with the root's saponin- and flavonoid-bearing tissue.
Hydro-Alcoholic / Aqueous Extraction
Milled root is charged into closed, jacketed SS 316L extractors and extracted with a controlled hydro-alcoholic or aqueous solvent system under regulated temperature and multiple cycles to maximise recovery of glycyrrhizin and associated flavonoids.
Clarification & Filtration
The extract is clarified through a plate-and-frame filter press followed by membrane or cartridge polish filters, managing the natural mucilage and pectin content of Licorice root ahead of concentration.
Vacuum Concentration
The clarified liquor is concentrated in a falling-film / vacuum evaporator under reduced pressure to preserve heat-sensitive flavonoids while improving concentration efficiency.
Solvent Recovery
A closed-loop recovery system condenses and recycles the extraction solvent back into production.
Standardisation
The concentrate is assayed by HPLC and adjusted to the declared specification — 5% to 25% Glycyrrhizin by HPLC — before drying; the same line can be configured to yield a deglycyrrhizinated (DGL) fraction where required.
Drying & Quality Control
The standardised Licorice extract is spray- or vacuum-tray dried to a free-flowing, low-moisture powder, then released after assay, residual-solvent, heavy-metal, microbial, and moisture testing with full certificate-of-analysis documentation.
Major Plant Equipment
- Raw material cleaning system
- Hammer mill (size reduction)
- Stainless-steel hydro-alcoholic/aqueous extraction vessels (jacketed, SS 316L)
- Solvent storage tanks
- Solvent transfer pumps
- Plate heat exchangers
- Plate-and-frame filter press / pressure leaf filter
- Membrane / cartridge polish filters
- Falling-film / multi-stage vacuum evaporator
- Closed-loop solvent recovery system
- Condensers & vacuum pumps
- Spray dryer / vacuum tray dryer
- CIP (clean-in-place) system
- Storage tanks & finished-product tanks
- PLC-SCADA control panel, electrical MCC & instrumentation
Plant Output
Case Study
Licorice (Glycyrrhizin) Extraction Plant — DGL & Glycyrrhizin Turnkey Project
See how this plant was engineered and delivered for a real project.
Applications
- Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice (DGL) digestive-health formulations
- Cough, throat, and respiratory-wellness syrups and lozenges
- Pharmaceutical standardised ingredient supply
- Nutraceutical capsule, tablet, and supplement manufacturing
- Natural sweetener and flavouring applications in food and beverage
- Cosmetic and personal-care skin-brightening actives (glabridin-rich fractions)
- Anti-inflammatory herbal formulations
- Export to regulated-market ingredient buyers
Key Features
GMP Hygienic SS 316L Construction
Electropolished SS 316L product-contact surfaces use GMP hygienic design, with CIP operation between batches.
Handles Root Mucilage Load
Membrane and multi-stage polish filtration are sized for Licorice root's natural mucilage and pectin content, keeping clarification consistent batch to batch.
Closed-Loop Solvent Recovery
Integrated recovery returns extraction solvent for reuse.
DGL Production Option
The same core process line can be configured to produce a deglycyrrhizinated licorice fraction alongside standard glycyrrhizin-standardised extract.
Standardised to Specification
In-process and batch-release HPLC assay are used to check the finished extract against its declared specification (5% to 25% Glycyrrhizin by HPLC).
Scalable Batch Capacity
Plants are configured to requirement from pilot scale upward, with modular expansion.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does this page relate to Mechotech's other Licorice pages?
Does Mechotech supply the complete machinery for Licorice extraction?
What specification can the Licorice plant achieve?
Can the same plant produce Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice (DGL)?
What extraction method is used, and how is the extract clarified?
What production capacities are available for the Licorice plant?
What is the typical cost and delivery timeline for a Licorice extraction plant?
Which industries use Licorice extract, and does the plant support GMP qualification?
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