We use supercritical CO2 extraction.
Subcritical/Supercritical CO2 oil extraction has several advantages over other extraction mediums like alcohol or hydrocarbons:
CO2 is nontoxic and is Generally Regarded As Safe (GRAS) by the FDA for use in food products.
Our bodies produce it when we breathe, and it’s commonly used in carbonated beverages.
Using CO2 as a solvent for oil extraction means no toxins, heavy metals, or hydrocarbon materials come in contact with the extracted oils.
CO2 is also “solvent free”.
Other extraction solvents, like hydrocarbon-based propellants (propane and butane, hexane and pentane, or ethanol/alcohol mixtures) require additional distillation or purging beyond the extraction process to separate the solvent from the extracted oil.
CO2 has a very low boiling temperature and wants to be a gas at room temperature, so it naturally separates from the extracted oil the same way a soda goes “flat.”
The spent plant material is also free of residual solvents, so it can be reused as well!
Beyond that, CO2 isn’t flammable, so it doesn’t require costly explosion-proof facilities.
CO2 extraction can be done at temperatures that are native to the hemp, minimizing thermal degradation of the plant material and the extracted oil.
And CO2 is environmentally friendly. CO2 used for extractions doesn’t contribute to overall atmospheric CO2 levels. 🙂
