Leaves - Bay Leaves / Tea
Leaves - Bay Leaves / Tea
Mechotech designs and manufactures turnkey natural colour extraction plants for bay leaves and tea leaves. In the Mechotech catalogue, Leaves - Bay Leaves / Tea is listed in the Yellow Colour group alongside Stamens - Saffron, Plant - St. John's Wort / Larkspur, Roots - Turmeric, Innerbark or Shavings - Osage Orange, Skins - Brown Onion, Seeds - Annotto and Flowers - MariGold / Queen Annes Lace / Golden Rod. According to Mechotech’s article on bay and tree leaves, the yellow of bay laurel leaves comes chiefly from flavonoids such as quercetin and kaempferol and their glycosides. The article does not cover tea leaves, so the tea raw material and its pigment are confirmed with the client. The plant is configured around the raw material and the target colour extract.
Mechotech’s Leaves - Bay Leaves / Tea 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. The article describes leaf flavonoids as moderately water-soluble, extracted from chopped leaves by an extended hot-water steep and kept bright by gentle, oxygen-limited processing, so the line is configured for aqueous or food-grade alcohol / aqueous extraction, vacuum concentration and standardisation of the leaf source and extraction conditions. Final parameters are established during process development and pilot validation.
Technical Specifications
| Product | Leaves - Bay Leaves / Tea Natural Colour Extraction Plant |
|---|---|
| Raw Material | Bay leaves and tea leaves (catalogue name: Leaves - Bay Leaves / Tea) |
| Botanical Name | Laurus nobilis (bay laurel), as described in Mechotech’s colour-extraction article and the Bay Laurel page; the tea species is not stated in any source and is confirmed with the client |
| Plant Part / Feed Form | Leaves (fresh or dried, chopped before extraction, per the article); exact form confirmed with the client |
| Colour Group | Yellow Colour (see the Yellow Colour page) |
| Colour-forming Components | Bay laurel leaves: flavonoids and flavonols such as quercetin and kaempferol and their glycosides (per the article). Tea leaves: pigment not stated in any source; confirmed with the client |
| Pigment Class | Flavonoids (bay laurel leaves, per the article) |
| Process Category | Natural Colour Extraction Plants |
| Extract Type | Natural colour extract (liquid concentrate or dried powder, per specification) |
| Extraction Method | Closed jacketed SS 316L extraction at controlled temperature over several cycles: aqueous (hot-water) extraction as described in the article, or food-grade alcohol / aqueous solvent; the route is confirmed during process development |
| 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, where a powder is required |
| 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 (yellow 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
Fresh or dried leaves are authenticated, cleaned, tested for moisture and chopped or milled to increase surface area so the extraction liquor can reach the pigment cells; the particle size is set during process development.
Extraction
The prepared leaves are extracted in closed jacketed SS 316L vessels at controlled temperature over several cycles, with water (an extended hot-water steep below boiling, as described in the article) or food-grade alcohol / aqueous solvent; the route and conditions are set during process development.
Filtration
The extract is separated from the spent leaves and clarified through a plate-and-frame filter press followed by cartridge polish filters.
Concentration & Solvent Recovery
The dilute extract is concentrated in a falling-film / vacuum evaporator, with solvent recovered through the condenser return system where a solvent is used; gentle, oxygen-limited processing helps keep polyphenol pigments from browning.
Standardisation
The concentrate is assayed and adjusted to the declared target colour specification, such as shade and colour strength, with the leaf source and extraction conditions held consistent between batches.
Drying & Quality Control
The standardised extract is supplied as a liquid concentrate or spray- or vacuum-dried to a powder, per specification, then released after assay, residual-solvent, heavy-metal, microbial and moisture testing.
Major Plant Equipment
- Raw material cleaning, authentication and moisture testing
- 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 yellow colour and dye ingredient supply
- Natural dyeing of wool and silk, with the shade steered by the mordant (per the article)
- Cosmetic and personal-care colour applications
- Nutraceutical and Ayurvedic / herbal formulations
- Food and beverage colour applications (subject to approval of the specific colour in each market)
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 the agreed target specification, such as shade and colour strength.
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 Leaves - Bay Leaves / Tea?
What specification can the Leaves - Bay Leaves / Tea plant achieve?
What production capacities are available for the Leaves - Bay Leaves / Tea plant?
Which industries use the Leaves - Bay Leaves / Tea plant?
Which raw material is processed in the Leaves - Bay Leaves / Tea plant?
What pigment gives bay leaves their yellow colour?
How does the Leaves - Bay Leaves / Tea extraction process work?
What shades do bay leaves give?
How does this page differ from the other bay and tea pages?
Where does this page sit in the yellow colour range?
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