Milk Thistle Extract Powder by UV
Milk Thistle Extract Powder by UV
Purity Levels
30% Silybin & Isosilybin by UV
Mechotech supplies the machinery for milk thistle extract powder production, listed in the catalogue as a powder standardised to 30% Silybin & Isosilybin by UV assay. The raw material is milk thistle (Silybum marianum) seed, the source of the silymarin flavonolignan complex, which includes silybin and isosilybin. The turnkey plant takes milled seed through extraction with water or aqueous ethanol, filtration, vacuum concentration with solvent recovery, UV-assay standardisation and spray drying to a free-flowing powder, with a resin or membrane purification stage where the target specification calls for it. This page covers the UV-assayed powder line. The HPLC-assayed powder line and the Silymarin (Silybum Marianum) seed route are separate Mechotech pages, described in the questions below.
Mechotech designs and manufactures the milk thistle extract powder plant as a turnkey system with SS 316L product-contact construction, extraction in closed jacketed vessels, integrated solvent recovery and a matched spray dryer. The extraction and drying conditions are set with the heat sensitivity of the silymarin fraction in mind, and the finished powder is assayed by UV against the agreed target specification; the 30% Silybin & Isosilybin figure is the catalogue standardisation, and the specification actually targeted is set during process development and pilot validation. The unit is delivered with documentation to support qualification. Extraction solvent and strength, temperature, number of cycles and drying conditions are configured to the raw material and the target specification; no fixed parameters are quoted on this page.
Technical Specifications
| Product | Milk Thistle Extract Powder Extraction Plant |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | Silybum marianum |
| Raw Material | Dried milk thistle seed |
| Plant Part | Seed (as named in this page's earlier text and on the Mechotech HPLC-powder and Silymarin pages); exact feed form confirmed with the client |
| Extract Type | Standardised spray-dried extract powder |
| Standardisation | 30% Silybin & Isosilybin by UV (catalogue figure) |
| Analytical Method | UV assay; the HPLC-assayed powder is a separate Mechotech line |
| Extraction Method | Extraction with water or aqueous ethanol in closed, jacketed SS 316L extractors, over multiple cycles |
| Purification | Macroporous resin or membrane purification where the target specification requires it |
| 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 |
| Drying System | Spray dryer with controlled inlet / outlet temperature |
| Automation | PLC-based automation (configurable) |
| Plant Capacity | Configured to requirement |
| Utility Requirements | Steam, chilled / cooling water, vacuum, compressed air, soft water, power (project-specific) |
| Compliance | GMP hygienic design; full documentation for qualification |
| Final Product Form | Free-flowing standardised extract powder |
Plant Capacities
| Plant Scale | Seed 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
Dried milk thistle seed is authenticated, tested for moisture and milled to a uniform particle size to improve solvent contact before extraction.
Extraction
The milled seed is extracted with water or aqueous ethanol in closed, jacketed SS 316L extractors under controlled temperature, over multiple cycles with fresh solvent. Solvent strength, temperature and cycles are set during process development.
Filtration
The extract (miscella) is clarified through a plate-and-frame filter press followed by cartridge polish filters to remove plant particulates before concentration.
Purification
Where the target specification requires it, the extract passes a macroporous resin or membrane purification stage to enrich the target flavonolignans.
Vacuum Concentration & Solvent Recovery
The extract is concentrated in a falling-film / vacuum evaporator, with the solvent recovered through the condenser return system.
Standardisation
The concentrate is assayed by UV for silybin and isosilybin content and adjusted to the client's target specification (catalogue figure: 30% Silybin & Isosilybin by UV) before drying.
Spray Drying & Quality Control
The standardised concentrate is spray-dried to a free-flowing powder with controlled inlet and outlet temperature. Each batch is released after UV assay, residual-solvent, heavy-metal, microbial and moisture testing.
Major Plant Equipment
- Seed cleaning and moisture-testing station
- Mill (size reduction)
- Jacketed SS 316L extraction vessels
- Solvent storage and metering tanks
- Plate-and-frame filter press
- Cartridge polish filters
- Resin or membrane purification columns (where required)
- Falling-film / vacuum evaporator
- Closed-loop solvent recovery system (condenser return)
- Standardisation / blending vessel
- Spray dryer with cyclone separator
- Quality-control laboratory setup for UV assay and release testing
- CIP (clean-in-place) system
- PLC-based automation panel
Plant Output
Applications
- Liver-support nutraceutical capsule and tablet formulations
- Functional food and dietary supplement manufacturing
- Pharmaceutical standardised botanical ingredient supply
- Ayurvedic and traditional medicine preparations
- Cosmetic and personal care active ingredient supply
Key Features
SS 316L Construction
Electropolished SS 316L product-contact surfaces with CIP operation between batches, and documentation to support GMP qualification.
UV-Assay Standardisation
In-process and batch-release UV assay are used to check the finished powder against its agreed target specification (catalogue figure: 30% Silybin & Isosilybin by UV).
Closed-Loop Solvent Recovery
Integrated condenser-return recovery reuses the extraction solvent between batches and reduces solvent loss.
Integrated Spray Drying
A matched spray dryer converts the standardised concentrate into a free-flowing powder, completing the turnkey powder line.
Scalable Batch Capacity
Plants are configured to requirement from pilot scale upward, with modular expansion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is milk thistle extract powder (UV) and why is it commercially extracted?
Does Mechotech supply the machinery for milk thistle extract powder?
What is the difference between the HPLC and UV grades of milk thistle extract?
How does this page differ from the Silymarin (Silybum Marianum) page?
How is the milk thistle extract powder produced?
Which plant part is processed?
Does the UV route include a seed defatting step?
What does the 30% figure mean for the delivered powder?
Is there a Mechotech case study for milk thistle?
What capacities and related pages does Mechotech list?
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