CAPSICUM OLEORESIN EXTRACTION PLANT

Product Description

Capsicum (Capsicum annuum / frutescens) oleoresin is one of the most commercially significant spice extracts, providing standardized capsaicin for pharmaceutical pain relief, food pungency standardization, and self-defence applications. Mechotech's capsicum extraction plants handle red chilli, paprika, and cayenne varieties with precise capsaicin standardization.

Mechotech designs capsicum oleoresin plants using hexane or food-grade ethanol extraction to produce oleoresin standardized to 1%-10% capsaicinoids by HPLC. Our plants feature acid-resistant SS 316L construction, explosion-proof design, solvent recovery, and downstream colour separation capabilities - enabling separate production of red paprika oleoresin (colour) and capsaicin oleoresin (pungency) from the same raw material.

Manufacturing Process

Chilli Preparation
Dried red chillies or paprika pods are inspected, destemmed, and ground to 30-60 mesh. Seeds may be separated from pericarp for different product streams.

Solvent Extraction
Ground chilli is extracted with hexane or food-grade ethanol in percolation extractors. Capsaicinoids and red pigments (capsanthin, capsorubin) dissolve into the solvent phase.

Filtration
The chilli extract is filtered through sparkler and cartridge filters. The filtrate is a deep red, viscous solution rich in capsaicinoids and carotenoid pigments.

Solvent Evaporation
The filtered extract is evaporated under vacuum in a falling-film evaporator at below 65^oC to yield concentrated capsicum oleoresin. Solvent is recovered for reuse.

Decolorization (Optional)
For food-grade pungency oleoresin applications requiring reduced colour, the red pigments are selectively removed by adsorption on silica or column chromatography.

Standardization
The final oleoresin is standardized to target capsaicin content (e.g., 1%, 2%, 5%, 10%) by HPLC analysis and diluted with food-grade carrier oil if necessary.

Applications

• Pharmaceutical topical pain relief creams (capsaicin patches)
• Food pungency standardization for hot sauce, seasoning
• Self-defence pepper spray manufacturing
• Veterinary repellent and bird deterrent products
• Weight management thermogenic supplements
• Nutraceutical cardiovascular health formulations
• Red paprika natural colour for food industry
• Insect repellent agricultural applications

Key Features

Capsaicin & Colour Separation
Advanced extraction and adsorbent column system allows separate collection of red paprika colour oleoresin and clear capsaicin-rich oleoresin from the same raw material batch.

Wide Pungency Range
Plant produces capsicum oleoresin from low-pungency paprika to high-pungency 10% capsaicin, covering all commercial applications from food to pharmaceutical.

Acid-Resistant Construction
All contact parts constructed in SS 316L with PTFE seals and acid-resistant lining where required for corrosion resistance during capsaicin concentration operations.

Safety Engineering
Personal protective equipment requirements, forced-ventilation extraction zones, and emergency shower facilities are integrated into plant design due to extreme capsaicin pungency hazards.

Pharmaceutical-Grade Option
With appropriate solvent and purification steps, the plant produces capsaicin USP/BP grade for pharmaceutical topical formulations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What capsaicin concentrations can Mechotech's plant produce?
Our capsicum extraction plant produces oleoresin standardized from 0.1% capsaicin (paprika colour grade) to 10% capsaicin (pharmaceutical grade) by HPLC. Custom concentrations are available on request.

Can the plant process both paprika and cayenne pepper?
Yes. The plant processes all Capsicum species including paprika (C. annuum - low pungency, high colour), cayenne (C. frutescens - medium pungency), and bird's eye chilli (C. chinense - high pungency) with adjustable extraction parameters.

What safety precautions are required for capsaicin processing?
Capsaicin is extremely pungent even at trace concentrations. Our plant design includes forced-ventilation enclosures, full personal protective equipment (PPE) stations, emergency decontamination showers, and respiratory protection protocols for operator safety.

Can paprika colour and pungency be separated in the same plant?
Yes. Mechotech's integrated design with adsorbent decolourization columns allows selective removal of red carotenoid pigments from the capsaicin oleoresin stream, or vice versa, enabling dual-product plants serving both colour and pungency markets.