Onion
Onion
Mechotech designs and manufactures turnkey spices oleoresin extraction plants for Onion (Allium cepa). Mechotech’s legacy page text describes an onion oleoresin carrying quercetin and quercetin glycosides, propanethial S-oxide (the lachrymatory factor), organosulfur flavour volatiles and flavonoids, for food flavouring, functional food, nutraceutical and cosmetic use, and says the plant is engineered around onion’s lachrymatory chemistry and quercetin preservation. The Sureka Life Sciences (SLS) catalogue lists Onion Extract on the spices oleoresin route with Allium cepa L. as the botanical source and quercetin as the marker, with no percentage. The herbal Onion Extract page is a separate listing.
Mechotech’s Onion plant follows the oleoresin route: solvent extraction of the dried onion, filtration, low-temperature vacuum concentration with solvent recovery and standardisation to the buyer’s specification. It is built in SS 316L with integrated solvent recovery, PLC-based automation and full documentation, and is delivered as a commissioned turnkey system. Solvent, temperature and cycle times are established during process development and pilot validation.
Technical Specifications
| Product | Onion Oleoresin Extraction Plant |
|---|---|
| Process Category | Spices Oleoresin Extraction Plants |
| Botanical Name | Allium cepa L. (per the Sureka Life Sciences catalogue entry for Onion Extract; the legacy page text names Allium cepa) |
| Raw Material | Onion (Allium cepa) |
| Plant Part / Feed Form | Dried onion, as described in Mechotech’s legacy page text (exact form, such as dehydrated flakes or powder, confirmed with the client) |
| Principal Documented Constituent | Quercetin (per the Sureka Life Sciences entry); the legacy page text also lists quercetin glycosides, propanethial S-oxide, organosulfur flavour volatiles and flavonoids |
| Standardisation | Quercetin as marker (Sureka Life Sciences listing; no percentage stated) |
| Extract Type | Oleoresin (viscous liquid concentrate) |
| 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 |
| Drying System | Not applicable to the liquid oleoresin; finishing form agreed with the client |
| 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 | Standardised onion oleoresin; finishing 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 | 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
Onion raw material is authenticated, cleaned and tested for moisture and, where required, milled or flaked so that the solvent reaches the oleoresin-bearing tissue; the dried feed form is confirmed with the client.
Solvent Extraction
The prepared Onion is extracted with food-grade solvent in closed jacketed SS 316L extractors at controlled temperature and over multiple cycles to recover the oleoresin.
Miscella Filtration
The extract (miscella) is clarified through a plate-and-frame filter press followed by cartridge polish filters.
Evaporation & Concentration
The miscella is concentrated in a falling-film / vacuum evaporator at low temperature, with solvent recovered through the condenser return system.
Standardisation
The concentrate is assayed against the agreed marker and adjusted to the client’s target specification (the Sureka Life Sciences listing names quercetin as the marker, with no percentage).
Quality Control & Packing
The oleoresin is released after assay, residual-solvent, heavy-metal, microbial and moisture testing and packed with batch documentation.
Major Plant Equipment
- Raw material cleaning and moisture testing
- Mill (size reduction)
- Jacketed SS 316L extraction vessels
- Solvent storage tanks
- Plate-and-frame filter press
- Cartridge polish filters
- Falling-film / vacuum evaporator
- Closed-loop solvent recovery system (condenser return)
- Standardisation / blending vessel
- CIP (clean-in-place) system
- PLC-based automation panel
Plant Output
From Plant to Product
Onion Extract
This botanical is also in the product range of Sureka Life Sciences, our sister concern in botanical ingredients.
Applications
- Food flavouring (per the legacy listing)
- Functional-food ingredients (per the legacy listing)
- Nutraceutical formulations (per the legacy listing)
- Cosmetics (per the legacy listing)
Key Features
SS 316L Construction
Electropolished SS 316L product-contact surfaces with CIP operation between batches.
Low-Temperature Concentration
Vacuum concentration keeps heat exposure low for the volatile fraction of the onion oleoresin.
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 oleoresin against its agreed target specification (marker: quercetin; no percentage listed).
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 Onion?
What specification does the catalogue list for Onion?
What production capacities are available for the Onion plant?
How is onion oleoresin produced in Mechotech’s extraction plant?
What is special about onion as an oleoresin raw material?
How does this Onion oleoresin page differ from the Onion Extract and onion-skin colour pages?
Which markers and use areas does the catalogue list for Onion Extract?
Which related routes and pages does Mechotech list alongside Onion?
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